Identification of dominant scattering mechanism in epitaxial graphene on SiC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Jingjing; Guo, Liwei, E-mail: lwguo@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: chenx29@aphy.iphy.ac.cn; Jia, Yuping

2014-05-05

A scheme of identification of scattering mechanisms in epitaxial graphene (EG) on SiC substrate is developed and applied to three EG samples grown on SiC (0001), (112{sup ¯}0), and (101{sup ¯}0) substrates. Hall measurements combined with defect detection technique enable us to evaluate the individual contributions to the carrier scatterings by defects and by substrates. It is found that the dominant scatterings can be due to either substrate or defects, dependent on the substrate orientations. The EG on SiC (112{sup ¯}0) exhibits a better control over the two major scattering mechanisms and achieves the highest mobility even with a highmore » carrier concentration, promising for high performance graphene-based electronic devices. The method developed here will shed light on major aspects in governing carrier transport in EG to harness it effectively.« less

Gait Characteristic Analysis and Identification Based on the iPhone's Accelerometer and Gyrometer

PubMed Central

Sun, Bing; Wang, Yang; Banda, Jacob

2014-01-01

Gait identification is a valuable approach to identify humans at a distance. In this paper, gait characteristics are analyzed based on an iPhone's accelerometer and gyrometer, and a new approach is proposed for gait identification. Specifically, gait datasets are collected by the triaxial accelerometer and gyrometer embedded in an iPhone. Then, the datasets are processed to extract gait characteristic parameters which include gait frequency, symmetry coefficient, dynamic range and similarity coefficient of characteristic curves. Finally, a weighted voting scheme dependent upon the gait characteristic parameters is proposed for gait identification. Four experiments are implemented to validate the proposed scheme. The attitude and acceleration solutions are verified by simulation. Then the gait characteristics are analyzed by comparing two sets of actual data, and the performance of the weighted voting identification scheme is verified by 40 datasets of 10 subjects. PMID:25222034

Characterization of palmprints by wavelet signatures via directional context modeling.

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Zhang, David

2004-06-01

The palmprint is one of the most reliable physiological characteristics that can be used to distinguish between individuals. Current palmprint-based systems are more user friendly, more cost effective, and require fewer data signatures than traditional fingerprint-based identification systems. The principal lines and wrinkles captured in a low-resolution palmprint image provide more than enough information to uniquely identify an individual. This paper presents a palmprint identification scheme that characterizes a palmprint using a set of statistical signatures. The palmprint is first transformed into the wavelet domain, and the directional context of each wavelet subband is defined and computed in order to collect the predominant coefficients of its principal lines and wrinkles. A set of statistical signatures, which includes gravity center, density, spatial dispersivity and energy, is then defined to characterize the palmprint with the selected directional context values. A classification and identification scheme based on these signatures is subsequently developed. This scheme exploits the features of principal lines and prominent wrinkles sufficiently and achieves satisfactory results. Compared with the line-segments-matching or interesting-points-matching based palmprint verification schemes, the proposed scheme uses a much smaller amount of data signatures. It also provides a convenient classification strategy and more accurate identification.

A practical molecular identification of nonfermenting Gram-negative bacteria from cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Capizzani, Carolina Paulino da Costa; Caçador, Natália Candido; Marques, Elizabeth Andrade; Levy, Carlos Emílio; Tonani, Ludmilla; Torres, Lidia Alice Gomes Monteiro Marin; Darini, Ana Lúcia da Costa

Identification of nonfermenting Gram-negative bacteria (NFGNB) of cystic fibrosis patients is hard and misidentification could affect clinical outcome. This study aimed to propose a scheme using polymerase chain reaction to identify NFGNB. This scheme leads to reliable identification within 3 days in an economically viable manner when compared to other methods. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A fiber orientation-adapted integration scheme for computing the hyperelastic Tucker average for short fiber reinforced composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, Niels; Ospald, Felix; Schneider, Matti

2017-10-01

In this article we introduce a fiber orientation-adapted integration scheme for Tucker's orientation averaging procedure applied to non-linear material laws, based on angular central Gaussian fiber orientation distributions. This method is stable w.r.t. fiber orientations degenerating into planar states and enables the construction of orthotropic hyperelastic energies for truly orthotropic fiber orientation states. We establish a reference scenario for fitting the Tucker average of a transversely isotropic hyperelastic energy, corresponding to a uni-directional fiber orientation, to microstructural simulations, obtained by FFT-based computational homogenization of neo-Hookean constituents. We carefully discuss ideas for accelerating the identification process, leading to a tremendous speed-up compared to a naive approach. The resulting hyperelastic material map turns out to be surprisingly accurate, simple to integrate in commercial finite element codes and fast in its execution. We demonstrate the capabilities of the extracted model by a finite element analysis of a fiber reinforced chain link.

PSK Shift Timing Information Detection Using Image Processing and a Matched Filter

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

phase shifts are enhanced.  Develop, design, and test the resulting phase shift identification scheme. xx  Develop, design, and test an optional...and the resulting phase shift identification algorithm is investigated for SNR levels in the range -2dB to 12 dB. Detection performances are derived...test the resulting phase shift identification scheme.  Develop, design, and test an optional analysis window overlapping technique to improve phase

Active module identification in intracellular networks using a memetic algorithm with a new binary decoding scheme.

PubMed

Li, Dong; Pan, Zhisong; Hu, Guyu; Zhu, Zexuan; He, Shan

2017-03-14

Active modules are connected regions in biological network which show significant changes in expression over particular conditions. The identification of such modules is important since it may reveal the regulatory and signaling mechanisms that associate with a given cellular response. In this paper, we propose a novel active module identification algorithm based on a memetic algorithm. We propose a novel encoding/decoding scheme to ensure the connectedness of the identified active modules. Based on the scheme, we also design and incorporate a local search operator into the memetic algorithm to improve its performance. The effectiveness of proposed algorithm is validated on both small and large protein interaction networks.

Cronobacter, the emergent bacterial pathogen Enterobacter sakazakii comes of age; MLST and whole genome sequence analysis.

PubMed

Forsythe, Stephen J; Dickins, Benjamin; Jolley, Keith A

2014-12-16

Following the association of Cronobacter spp. to several publicized fatal outbreaks in neonatal intensive care units of meningitis and necrotising enterocolitis, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2004 requested the establishment of a molecular typing scheme to enable the international control of the organism. This paper presents the application of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to Cronobacter which has led to the establishment of the Cronobacter PubMLST genome and sequence definition database (http://pubmlst.org/cronobacter/) containing over 1000 isolates with metadata along with the recognition of specific clonal lineages linked to neonatal meningitis and adult infections Whole genome sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has supports the formal recognition of the genus Cronobacter composed of seven species to replace the former single species Enterobacter sakazakii. Applying the 7-loci MLST scheme to 1007 strains revealed 298 definable sequence types, yet only C. sakazakii clonal complex 4 (CC4) was principally associated with neonatal meningitis. This clonal lineage has been confirmed using ribosomal-MLST (51-loci) and whole genome-MLST (1865 loci) to analyse 107 whole genomes via the Cronobacter PubMLST database. This database has enabled the retrospective analysis of historic cases and outbreaks following re-identification of those strains. The Cronobacter PubMLST database offers a central, open access, reliable sequence-based repository for researchers. It has the capacity to create new analysis schemes 'on the fly', and to integrate metadata (source, geographic distribution, clinical presentation). It is also expandable and adaptable to changes in taxonomy, and able to support the development of reliable detection methods of use to industry and regulatory authorities. Therefore it meets the WHO (2004) request for the establishment of a typing scheme for this emergent bacterial pathogen. Whole genome sequencing has additionally shown a range of potential virulence and environmental fitness traits which may account for the association of C. sakazakii CC4 pathogenicity, and propensity for neonatal CNS.

High performance interconnection between high data rate networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foudriat, E. C.; Maly, K.; Overstreet, C. M.; Zhang, L.; Sun, W.

1992-01-01

The bridge/gateway system needed to interconnect a wide range of computer networks to support a wide range of user quality-of-service requirements is discussed. The bridge/gateway must handle a wide range of message types including synchronous and asynchronous traffic, large, bursty messages, short, self-contained messages, time critical messages, etc. It is shown that messages can be classified into three basic classes, synchronous and large and small asynchronous messages. The first two require call setup so that packet identification, buffer handling, etc. can be supported in the bridge/gateway. Identification enables resequences in packet size. The third class is for messages which do not require call setup. Resequencing hardware based to handle two types of resequencing problems is presented. The first is for a virtual parallel circuit which can scramble channel bytes. The second system is effective in handling both synchronous and asynchronous traffic between networks with highly differing packet sizes and data rates. The two other major needs for the bridge/gateway are congestion and error control. A dynamic, lossless congestion control scheme which can easily support effective error correction is presented. Results indicate that the congestion control scheme provides close to optimal capacity under congested conditions. Under conditions where error may develop due to intervening networks which are not lossless, intermediate error recovery and correction takes 1/3 less time than equivalent end-to-end error correction under similar conditions.

Lightweight ECC based RFID authentication integrated with an ID verifier transfer protocol.

PubMed

He, Debiao; Kumar, Neeraj; Chilamkurti, Naveen; Lee, Jong-Hyouk

2014-10-01

The radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has been widely adopted and being deployed as a dominant identification technology in a health care domain such as medical information authentication, patient tracking, blood transfusion medicine, etc. With more and more stringent security and privacy requirements to RFID based authentication schemes, elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) based RFID authentication schemes have been proposed to meet the requirements. However, many recently published ECC based RFID authentication schemes have serious security weaknesses. In this paper, we propose a new ECC based RFID authentication integrated with an ID verifier transfer protocol that overcomes the weaknesses of the existing schemes. A comprehensive security analysis has been conducted to show strong security properties that are provided from the proposed authentication scheme. Moreover, the performance of the proposed authentication scheme is analyzed in terms of computational cost, communicational cost, and storage requirement.

A Semiautomated Framework for Integrating Expert Knowledge into Disease Marker Identification

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jing; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo M.; Matzke, Melissa M.; ...

2013-01-01

Background . The availability of large complex data sets generated by high throughput technologies has enabled the recent proliferation of disease biomarker studies. However, a recurring problem in deriving biological information from large data sets is how to best incorporate expert knowledge into the biomarker selection process. Objective . To develop a generalizable framework that can incorporate expert knowledge into data-driven processes in a semiautomated way while providing a metric for optimization in a biomarker selection scheme. Methods . The framework was implemented as a pipeline consisting of five components for the identification of signatures from integrated clustering (ISIC). Expertmore » knowledge was integrated into the biomarker identification process using the combination of two distinct approaches; a distance-based clustering approach and an expert knowledge-driven functional selection. Results . The utility of the developed framework ISIC was demonstrated on proteomics data from a study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Biomarker candidates were identified in a mouse model using ISIC and validated in a study of a human cohort. Conclusions . Expert knowledge can be introduced into a biomarker discovery process in different ways to enhance the robustness of selected marker candidates. Developing strategies for extracting orthogonal and robust features from large data sets increases the chances of success in biomarker identification.« less

A Semiautomated Framework for Integrating Expert Knowledge into Disease Marker Identification

PubMed Central

Wang, Jing; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo M.; Matzke, Melissa M.; Varnum, Susan M.; Brown, Joseph N.; Riensche, Roderick M.; Adkins, Joshua N.; Jacobs, Jon M.; Hoidal, John R.; Scholand, Mary Beth; Pounds, Joel G.; Blackburn, Michael R.; Rodland, Karin D.; McDermott, Jason E.

2013-01-01

Background. The availability of large complex data sets generated by high throughput technologies has enabled the recent proliferation of disease biomarker studies. However, a recurring problem in deriving biological information from large data sets is how to best incorporate expert knowledge into the biomarker selection process. Objective. To develop a generalizable framework that can incorporate expert knowledge into data-driven processes in a semiautomated way while providing a metric for optimization in a biomarker selection scheme. Methods. The framework was implemented as a pipeline consisting of five components for the identification of signatures from integrated clustering (ISIC). Expert knowledge was integrated into the biomarker identification process using the combination of two distinct approaches; a distance-based clustering approach and an expert knowledge-driven functional selection. Results. The utility of the developed framework ISIC was demonstrated on proteomics data from a study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Biomarker candidates were identified in a mouse model using ISIC and validated in a study of a human cohort. Conclusions. Expert knowledge can be introduced into a biomarker discovery process in different ways to enhance the robustness of selected marker candidates. Developing strategies for extracting orthogonal and robust features from large data sets increases the chances of success in biomarker identification. PMID:24223463

A Semiautomated Framework for Integrating Expert Knowledge into Disease Marker Identification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Jing; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo M.; Matzke, Melissa M.

2013-10-01

Background. The availability of large complex data sets generated by high throughput technologies has enabled the recent proliferation of disease biomarker studies. However, a recurring problem in deriving biological information from large data sets is how to best incorporate expert knowledge into the biomarker selection process. Objective. To develop a generalizable framework that can incorporate expert knowledge into data-driven processes in a semiautomated way while providing a metric for optimization in a biomarker selection scheme. Methods. The framework was implemented as a pipeline consisting of five components for the identification of signatures from integrated clustering (ISIC). Expert knowledge was integratedmore » into the biomarker identification process using the combination of two distinct approaches; a distance-based clustering approach and an expert knowledge-driven functional selection. Results. The utility of the developed framework ISIC was demonstrated on proteomics data from a study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Biomarker candidates were identified in a mouse model using ISIC and validated in a study of a human cohort. Conclusions. Expert knowledge can be introduced into a biomarker discovery process in different ways to enhance the robustness of selected marker candidates. Developing strategies for extracting orthogonal and robust features from large data sets increases the chances of success in biomarker identification.« less

Provably secure identity-based identification and signature schemes from code assumptions

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yiming

2017-01-01

Code-based cryptography is one of few alternatives supposed to be secure in a post-quantum world. Meanwhile, identity-based identification and signature (IBI/IBS) schemes are two of the most fundamental cryptographic primitives, so several code-based IBI/IBS schemes have been proposed. However, with increasingly profound researches on coding theory, the security reduction and efficiency of such schemes have been invalidated and challenged. In this paper, we construct provably secure IBI/IBS schemes from code assumptions against impersonation under active and concurrent attacks through a provably secure code-based signature technique proposed by Preetha, Vasant and Rangan (PVR signature), and a security enhancement Or-proof technique. We also present the parallel-PVR technique to decrease parameter values while maintaining the standard security level. Compared to other code-based IBI/IBS schemes, our schemes achieve not only preferable public parameter size, private key size, communication cost and signature length due to better parameter choices, but also provably secure. PMID:28809940

Provably secure identity-based identification and signature schemes from code assumptions.

PubMed

Song, Bo; Zhao, Yiming

2017-01-01

Code-based cryptography is one of few alternatives supposed to be secure in a post-quantum world. Meanwhile, identity-based identification and signature (IBI/IBS) schemes are two of the most fundamental cryptographic primitives, so several code-based IBI/IBS schemes have been proposed. However, with increasingly profound researches on coding theory, the security reduction and efficiency of such schemes have been invalidated and challenged. In this paper, we construct provably secure IBI/IBS schemes from code assumptions against impersonation under active and concurrent attacks through a provably secure code-based signature technique proposed by Preetha, Vasant and Rangan (PVR signature), and a security enhancement Or-proof technique. We also present the parallel-PVR technique to decrease parameter values while maintaining the standard security level. Compared to other code-based IBI/IBS schemes, our schemes achieve not only preferable public parameter size, private key size, communication cost and signature length due to better parameter choices, but also provably secure.

Raman fiber-optical method for colon cancer detection: Cross-validation and outlier identification approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, D.; Naveed, P.; Ragheb, A.; Niedieker, D.; El-Mashtoly, S. F.; Brechmann, T.; Kötting, C.; Schmiegel, W. H.; Freier, E.; Pox, C.; Gerwert, K.

2017-06-01

Endoscopy plays a major role in early recognition of cancer which is not externally accessible and therewith in increasing the survival rate. Raman spectroscopic fiber-optical approaches can help to decrease the impact on the patient, increase objectivity in tissue characterization, reduce expenses and provide a significant time advantage in endoscopy. In gastroenterology an early recognition of malign and precursor lesions is relevant. Instantaneous and precise differentiation between adenomas as precursor lesions for cancer and hyperplastic polyps on the one hand and between high and low-risk alterations on the other hand is important. Raman fiber-optical measurements of colon biopsy samples taken during colonoscopy were carried out during a clinical study, and samples of adenocarcinoma (22), tubular adenomas (141), hyperplastic polyps (79) and normal tissue (101) from 151 patients were analyzed. This allows us to focus on the bioinformatic analysis and to set stage for Raman endoscopic measurements. Since spectral differences between normal and cancerous biopsy samples are small, special care has to be taken in data analysis. Using a leave-one-patient-out cross-validation scheme, three different outlier identification methods were investigated to decrease the influence of systematic errors, like a residual risk in misplacement of the sample and spectral dilution of marker bands (esp. cancerous tissue) and therewith optimize the experimental design. Furthermore other validations methods like leave-one-sample-out and leave-one-spectrum-out cross-validation schemes were compared with leave-one-patient-out cross-validation. High-risk lesions were differentiated from low-risk lesions with a sensitivity of 79%, specificity of 74% and an accuracy of 77%, cancer and normal tissue with a sensitivity of 79%, specificity of 83% and an accuracy of 81%. Additionally applied outlier identification enabled us to improve the recognition of neoplastic biopsy samples.

Using a binaural biomimetic array to identify bottom objects ensonified by echolocating dolphins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heiweg, D.A.; Moore, P.W.; Martin, S.W.; Dankiewicz, L.A.

2006-01-01

The development of a unique dolphin biomimetic sonar produced data that were used to study signal processing methods for object identification. Echoes from four metallic objects proud on the bottom, and a substrate-only condition, were generated by bottlenose dolphins trained to ensonify the targets in very shallow water. Using the two-element ('binaural') receive array, object echo spectra were collected and submitted for identification to four neural network architectures. Identification accuracy was evaluated over two receive array configurations, and five signal processing schemes. The four neural networks included backpropagation, learning vector quantization, genetic learning and probabilistic network architectures. The processing schemes included four methods that capitalized on the binaural data, plus a monaural benchmark process. All the schemes resulted in above-chance identification accuracy when applied to learning vector quantization and backpropagation. Beam-forming or concatenation of spectra from both receive elements outperformed the monaural benchmark, with higher sensitivity and lower bias. Ultimately, best object identification performance was achieved by the learning vector quantization network supplied with beam-formed data. The advantages of multi-element signal processing for object identification are clearly demonstrated in this development of a first-ever dolphin biomimetic sonar. ?? 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd.

48 CFR 252.211-7006 - Passive Radio Frequency Identification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... radio frequency identification (RFID) or item unique identification (IUID) information, order... CodeTM (EPC®) means an identification scheme for universally identifying physical objects via RFID tags... passive RFID technology. Exterior container means a MIL-STD-129 defined container, bundle, or assembly...

48 CFR 252.211-7006 - Passive Radio Frequency Identification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... radio frequency identification (RFID) or item unique identification (IUID) information, order... CodeTM (EPC®) means an identification scheme for universally identifying physical objects via RFID tags... passive RFID technology. Exterior container means a MIL-STD-129 defined container, bundle, or assembly...

48 CFR 252.211-7006 - Passive Radio Frequency Identification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... radio frequency identification (RFID) or item unique identification (IUID) information, order... CodeTM (EPC®) means an identification scheme for universally identifying physical objects via RFID tags... passive RFID technology. Exterior container means a MIL-STD-129 defined container, bundle, or assembly...

Realistic Expectations for Rock Identification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerback, Mary Elizabeth; Azer, Nazmy

1991-01-01

Presents a rock classification scheme for use by beginning students. The scheme is based on rock textures (glassy, crystalline, clastic, and organic framework) and observable structures (vesicles and graded bedding). Discusses problems in other rock classification schemes which may produce confusion, misidentification, and anxiety. (10 references)…

Efficient and Provable Secure Pairing-Free Security-Mediated Identity-Based Identification Schemes

PubMed Central

Chin, Ji-Jian; Tan, Syh-Yuan; Heng, Swee-Huay; Phan, Raphael C.-W.

2014-01-01

Security-mediated cryptography was first introduced by Boneh et al. in 2001. The main motivation behind security-mediated cryptography was the capability to allow instant revocation of a user's secret key by necessitating the cooperation of a security mediator in any given transaction. Subsequently in 2003, Boneh et al. showed how to convert a RSA-based security-mediated encryption scheme from a traditional public key setting to an identity-based one, where certificates would no longer be required. Following these two pioneering papers, other cryptographic primitives that utilize a security-mediated approach began to surface. However, the security-mediated identity-based identification scheme (SM-IBI) was not introduced until Chin et al. in 2013 with a scheme built on bilinear pairings. In this paper, we improve on the efficiency results for SM-IBI schemes by proposing two schemes that are pairing-free and are based on well-studied complexity assumptions: the RSA and discrete logarithm assumptions. PMID:25207333

Efficient and provable secure pairing-free security-mediated identity-based identification schemes.

PubMed

Chin, Ji-Jian; Tan, Syh-Yuan; Heng, Swee-Huay; Phan, Raphael C-W

2014-01-01

Security-mediated cryptography was first introduced by Boneh et al. in 2001. The main motivation behind security-mediated cryptography was the capability to allow instant revocation of a user's secret key by necessitating the cooperation of a security mediator in any given transaction. Subsequently in 2003, Boneh et al. showed how to convert a RSA-based security-mediated encryption scheme from a traditional public key setting to an identity-based one, where certificates would no longer be required. Following these two pioneering papers, other cryptographic primitives that utilize a security-mediated approach began to surface. However, the security-mediated identity-based identification scheme (SM-IBI) was not introduced until Chin et al. in 2013 with a scheme built on bilinear pairings. In this paper, we improve on the efficiency results for SM-IBI schemes by proposing two schemes that are pairing-free and are based on well-studied complexity assumptions: the RSA and discrete logarithm assumptions.

Boolean logic analysis for flow regime recognition of gas-liquid horizontal flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramskill, Nicholas P.; Wang, Mi

2011-10-01

In order to develop a flowmeter for the accurate measurement of multiphase flows, it is of the utmost importance to correctly identify the flow regime present to enable the selection of the optimal method for metering. In this study, the horizontal flow of air and water in a pipeline was studied under a multitude of conditions using electrical resistance tomography but the flow regimes that are presented in this paper have been limited to plug and bubble air-water flows. This study proposes a novel method for recognition of the prevalent flow regime using only a fraction of the data, thus rendering the analysis more efficient. By considering the average conductivity of five zones along the central axis of the tomogram, key features can be identified, thus enabling the recognition of the prevalent flow regime. Boolean logic and frequency spectrum analysis has been applied for flow regime recognition. Visualization of the flow using the reconstructed images provides a qualitative comparison between different flow regimes. Application of the Boolean logic scheme enables a quantitative comparison of the flow patterns, thus reducing the subjectivity in the identification of the prevalent flow regime.

An approximation theory for nonlinear partial differential equations with applications to identification and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, H. T.; Kunisch, K.

1982-01-01

Approximation results from linear semigroup theory are used to develop a general framework for convergence of approximation schemes in parameter estimation and optimal control problems for nonlinear partial differential equations. These ideas are used to establish theoretical convergence results for parameter identification using modal (eigenfunction) approximation techniques. Results from numerical investigations of these schemes for both hyperbolic and parabolic systems are given.

A Standardised Vocabulary for Identifying Benthic Biota and Substrata from Underwater Imagery: The CATAMI Classification Scheme

PubMed Central

Jordan, Alan; Rees, Tony; Gowlett-Holmes, Karen

2015-01-01

Imagery collected by still and video cameras is an increasingly important tool for minimal impact, repeatable observations in the marine environment. Data generated from imagery includes identification, annotation and quantification of biological subjects and environmental features within an image. To be long-lived and useful beyond their project-specific initial purpose, and to maximize their utility across studies and disciplines, marine imagery data should use a standardised vocabulary of defined terms. This would enable the compilation of regional, national and/or global data sets from multiple sources, contributing to broad-scale management studies and development of automated annotation algorithms. The classification scheme developed under the Collaborative and Automated Tools for Analysis of Marine Imagery (CATAMI) project provides such a vocabulary. The CATAMI classification scheme introduces Australian-wide acknowledged, standardised terminology for annotating benthic substrates and biota in marine imagery. It combines coarse-level taxonomy and morphology, and is a flexible, hierarchical classification that bridges the gap between habitat/biotope characterisation and taxonomy, acknowledging limitations when describing biological taxa through imagery. It is fully described, documented, and maintained through curated online databases, and can be applied across benthic image collection methods, annotation platforms and scoring methods. Following release in 2013, the CATAMI classification scheme was taken up by a wide variety of users, including government, academia and industry. This rapid acceptance highlights the scheme’s utility and the potential to facilitate broad-scale multidisciplinary studies of marine ecosystems when applied globally. Here we present the CATAMI classification scheme, describe its conception and features, and discuss its utility and the opportunities as well as challenges arising from its use. PMID:26509918

Electron-Nuclear Quantum Information Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-13

quantum information processing that exploits the anisotropic hyperfine coupling. This scheme enables universal control over a 1-electron, N-nuclear spin...exploits the anisotropic hyperfine coupling. This scheme enables universal control over a 1-electron, N-nuclear spin system, addressing only a...sample of irradiated malonic acid. (a) Papers published in peer-reviewed journals (N/A for none) Universal control of nuclear spins via anisotropic

Maximum likelihood estimation of label imperfections and its use in the identification of mislabeled patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chittineni, C. B.

1979-01-01

The problem of estimating label imperfections and the use of the estimation in identifying mislabeled patterns is presented. Expressions for the maximum likelihood estimates of classification errors and a priori probabilities are derived from the classification of a set of labeled patterns. Expressions also are given for the asymptotic variances of probability of correct classification and proportions. Simple models are developed for imperfections in the labels and for classification errors and are used in the formulation of a maximum likelihood estimation scheme. Schemes are presented for the identification of mislabeled patterns in terms of threshold on the discriminant functions for both two-class and multiclass cases. Expressions are derived for the probability that the imperfect label identification scheme will result in a wrong decision and are used in computing thresholds. The results of practical applications of these techniques in the processing of remotely sensed multispectral data are presented.

A Support Vector Machine-Based Gender Identification Using Speech Signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kye-Hwan; Kang, Sang-Ick; Kim, Deok-Hwan; Chang, Joon-Hyuk

We propose an effective voice-based gender identification method using a support vector machine (SVM). The SVM is a binary classification algorithm that classifies two groups by finding the voluntary nonlinear boundary in a feature space and is known to yield high classification performance. In the present work, we compare the identification performance of the SVM with that of a Gaussian mixture model (GMM)-based method using the mel frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC). A novel approach of incorporating a features fusion scheme based on a combination of the MFCC and the fundamental frequency is proposed with the aim of improving the performance of gender identification. Experimental results demonstrate that the gender identification performance using the SVM is significantly better than that of the GMM-based scheme. Moreover, the performance is substantially improved when the proposed features fusion technique is applied.

Privacy protection schemes for fingerprint recognition systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marasco, Emanuela; Cukic, Bojan

2015-05-01

The deployment of fingerprint recognition systems has always raised concerns related to personal privacy. A fingerprint is permanently associated with an individual and, generally, it cannot be reset if compromised in one application. Given that fingerprints are not a secret, potential misuses besides personal recognition represent privacy threats and may lead to public distrust. Privacy mechanisms control access to personal information and limit the likelihood of intrusions. In this paper, image- and feature-level schemes for privacy protection in fingerprint recognition systems are reviewed. Storing only key features of a biometric signature can reduce the likelihood of biometric data being used for unintended purposes. In biometric cryptosystems and biometric-based key release, the biometric component verifies the identity of the user, while the cryptographic key protects the communication channel. Transformation-based approaches only a transformed version of the original biometric signature is stored. Different applications can use different transforms. Matching is performed in the transformed domain which enable the preservation of low error rates. Since such templates do not reveal information about individuals, they are referred to as cancelable templates. A compromised template can be re-issued using a different transform. At image-level, de-identification schemes can remove identifiers disclosed for objectives unrelated to the original purpose, while permitting other authorized uses of personal information. Fingerprint images can be de-identified by, for example, mixing fingerprints or removing gender signature. In both cases, degradation of matching performance is minimized.

Room-temperature in situ fabrication of Bi2O3/g-C3N4 direct Z-scheme photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Rongan; Zhou, Jiaqian; Fu, Huiqing; Zhang, Shiying; Jiang, Chuanjia

2018-02-01

Constructing direct Z-scheme heterojunction is an effective approach to separating photogenerated charge carriers and improving the activity of semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, a composite of bismuth(III) oxide (Bi2O3) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was in situ fabricated at room temperature by photoreductive deposition of Bi3+ and subsequent air-oxidation of the resultant metallic Bi. Quantum-sized ω-Bi2O3 nanoparticles approximately 6 nm in diameter were uniformly distributed on the surface of mesoporous g-C3N4. The as-prepared Bi2O3/g-C3N4 composite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than pure Bi2O3 and g-C3N4 for photocatalytic degradation of phenol under visible light. Reactive species trapping experiments revealed that superoxide radicals and photogenerated holes played important roles in the photocatalytic degradation of phenol. The enhanced photocatalytic activity, identification of reactive species and higher rate of charge carrier recombination (as indicated by stronger photoluminescence intensity) collectively suggest that the charge migration within the Bi2O3/g-C3N4 composite followed a Z-scheme mechanism. Photogenerated electrons on the conduction band of Bi2O3 migrate to the valence band of g-C3N4 and combine with photogenerated holes therein. At the cost of these less reactive charge carriers, the Z-scheme heterojunction enables efficient charge separation, while preserving the photogenerated electrons and holes with stronger redox abilities, which is beneficial for enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Multi-stream face recognition on dedicated mobile devices for crime-fighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jassim, Sabah A.; Sellahewa, Harin

2006-09-01

Automatic face recognition is a useful tool in the fight against crime and terrorism. Technological advance in mobile communication systems and multi-application mobile devices enable the creation of hybrid platforms for active and passive surveillance. A dedicated mobile device that incorporates audio-visual sensors would not only complement existing networks of fixed surveillance devices (e.g. CCTV) but could also provide wide geographical coverage in almost any situation and anywhere. Such a device can hold a small portion of a law-enforcing agency biometric database that consist of audio and/or visual data of a number of suspects/wanted or missing persons who are expected to be in a local geographical area. This will assist law-enforcing officers on the ground in identifying persons whose biometric templates are downloaded onto their devices. Biometric data on the device can be regularly updated which will reduce the number of faces an officer has to remember. Such a dedicated device would act as an active/passive mobile surveillance unit that incorporate automatic identification. This paper is concerned with the feasibility of using wavelet-based face recognition schemes on such devices. The proposed schemes extend our recently developed face verification scheme for implementation on a currently available PDA. In particular we will investigate the use of a combination of wavelet frequency channels for multi-stream face recognition. We shall present experimental results on the performance of our proposed schemes for a number of publicly available face databases including a new AV database of videos recorded on a PDA.

A Novel, Simplified Scheme for Plastics Identification: "JCE" Classroom Activity 104

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Mary E.; Walker, Barbara

2010-01-01

In this Activity, students identify samples of seven types of recyclable plastic by using a flowchart scheme. The flowchart procedure includes making density comparisons of the plastic samples in water and alcohol and observing physical changes of plastic samples subjected to boiling water temperatures and exposure to acetone. This scheme is…

Identification of Piecewise Linear Uniform Motion Blur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patanukhom, Karn; Nishihara, Akinori

A motion blur identification scheme is proposed for nonlinear uniform motion blurs approximated by piecewise linear models which consist of more than one linear motion component. The proposed scheme includes three modules that are a motion direction estimator, a motion length estimator and a motion combination selector. In order to identify the motion directions, the proposed scheme is based on a trial restoration by using directional forward ramp motion blurs along different directions and an analysis of directional information via frequency domain by using a Radon transform. Autocorrelation functions of image derivatives along several directions are employed for estimation of the motion lengths. A proper motion combination is identified by analyzing local autocorrelation functions of non-flat component of trial restored results. Experimental examples of simulated and real world blurred images are given to demonstrate a promising performance of the proposed scheme.

Detection and identification of concealed weapons using matrix pencil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adve, Raviraj S.; Thayaparan, Thayananthan

2011-06-01

The detection and identification of concealed weapons is an extremely hard problem due to the weak signature of the target buried within the much stronger signal from the human body. This paper furthers the automatic detection and identification of concealed weapons by proposing the use of an effective approach to obtain the resonant frequencies in a measurement. The technique, based on Matrix Pencil, a scheme for model based parameter estimation also provides amplitude information, hence providing a level of confidence in the results. Of specific interest is the fact that Matrix Pencil is based on a singular value decomposition, making the scheme robust against noise.

[Differentiation of species within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by molecular techniques].

PubMed

Herrera-León, Laura; Pozuelo-Díaz, Rodolfo; Molina Moreno, Tamara; Valverde Cobacho, Azucena; Saiz Vega, Pilar; Jiménez Pajares, María Soledad

2009-11-01

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex includes the following species: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium africanum, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium bovis-BCG, Mycobacterium microti, Mycobacterium caprae, Mycobacterium pinnipedii, and Mycobacterium canettii. These species cause tuberculosis in humans and animals. Identification of mycobacterial strains has classically been performed by phenotype study. Over the last years, laboratories have developed several molecular techniques to differentiate between these species. The aim of this study is to evaluate these methods and develop a simple, fast, identification scheme. We analyzed 251 strains randomly obtained from the strains studied in 2004, and 797 strains received by the Reference Laboratory between 2005 and 2007. Phenotype characterization of 4183 strains isolated during that period was done by studying the colony morphology, characteristics in culture, nitrate reduction, niacin accumulation, and growth in the presence of thiophen-2-carboxylic acid hydrazide 10 microg/mL and pyrazinamide 50 microg/mL. The molecular identification scheme designed was as follows: 1) gyrB PCR-RFLP with RsaI, TaqI or SacII and hsp65 RFLP/PCR with HhaI., and 2) multiplex-PCR to determine the presence/absence of the RD9 and RD1 regions. The results showed 100% agreement between phenotype study and the molecular scheme. This molecular identification scheme is a simple and fast method, with 100% sensitivity and specificity, that can be implemented in most clinical laboratories at a low cost.

Role of the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit in monitoring communicable diseases of childhood.

PubMed

Williams, K; Elliott, E

1998-12-24

The Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU) conducts active national surveillance of conditions affecting children, including communicable diseases and their complications. By mailing over 900 clinicians each month the APSU gathers national information, not available from other sources, about the incidence, demographic and clinical features of these conditions. In some conditions APSU data supplements that available from existing schemes. The APSU has monitored 20 conditions to date. Eight of these are communicable diseases or their complications, two have a possible infectious aetiology and one frequently presents with infection. Since its inception in 1993 the return rate of monthly report cards by the mailing list has increased from 88 per cent to 94 per cent. Return rate of questionnaires for the communicable diseases studied ranged from 74 per cent to 100 per cent. Studies have enabled estimation of disease incidence, identification of risk factors and possible preventive strategies and provision of detailed clinical information. Although the APSU cannot serve a public health role by case identification and contact tracing it provides information that contributes to the communicable disease strategy for Australia.

Case report highlighting how wound path identification on CT can help identify organ damage in abdominal blast injuries.

PubMed

Fischer, Tatjana V; Folio, Les R; Backus, Christopher E; Bunger, Rolf

2012-01-01

Penetrating trauma is frequently encountered in forward deployed military combat hospitals. Abdominal blast injuries represent nearly 11% of combat injuries, and multiplanar computed tomography imaging is optimal for injury assessment and surgical planning. We describe a multiplanar approach to assessment of blast and ballistic injuries, which allows for more expeditious detection of missile tracts and damage caused along the path. Precise delineation of the trajectory path and localization of retained fragments enables time-saving and detailed evaluation of associated tissue and vascular injury. For consistent and reproducible documentation of fragment locations in the body, we propose a localization scheme based on Cartesian coordinates to report 3-dimensional locations of fragments and demonstrating the application in three cases of abdominal blast injury.

Multi-innovation auto-constructed least squares identification for 4 DOF ship manoeuvring modelling with full-scale trial data.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoqing; Zhang, Xianku; Pang, Hongshuai

2015-09-01

This research is concerned with the problem of 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) ship manoeuvring identification modelling with the full-scale trial data. To avoid the multi-innovation matrix inversion in the conventional multi-innovation least squares (MILS) algorithm, a new transformed multi-innovation least squares (TMILS) algorithm is first developed by virtue of the coupling identification concept. And much effort is made to guarantee the uniformly ultimate convergence. Furthermore, the auto-constructed TMILS scheme is derived for the ship manoeuvring motion identification by combination with a statistic index. Comparing with the existing results, the proposed scheme has the significant computational advantage and is able to estimate the model structure. The illustrative examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, especially including the identification application with full-scale trial data. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A voting-based star identification algorithm utilizing local and global distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Qiaoyun; Zhong, Xuyang; Sun, Junhua

2018-03-01

A novel star identification algorithm based on voting scheme is presented in this paper. In the proposed algorithm, the global distribution and local distribution of sensor stars are fully utilized, and the stratified voting scheme is adopted to obtain the candidates for sensor stars. The database optimization is employed to reduce its memory requirement and improve the robustness of the proposed algorithm. The simulation shows that the proposed algorithm exhibits 99.81% identification rate with 2-pixel standard deviations of positional noises and 0.322-Mv magnitude noises. Compared with two similar algorithms, the proposed algorithm is more robust towards noise, and the average identification time and required memory is less. Furthermore, the real sky test shows that the proposed algorithm performs well on the real star images.

Phenotypic Identification of Actinomyces and Related Species Isolated from Human Sources

PubMed Central

Sarkonen, Nanna; Könönen, Eija; Summanen, Paula; Könönen, Mauno; Jousimies-Somer, Hannele

2001-01-01

Recent advancements in chemotaxonomic and molecular biology-based identification methods have clarified the taxonomy of the genus Actinomyces and have led to the recognition of several new Actinomyces and related species. Actinomyces-like gram-positive rods have increasingly been isolated from various clinical specimens. Thus, an easily accessible scheme for reliable differentiation at the species level is needed in clinical and oral microbiology laboratories, where bacterial identification is mainly based on conventional biochemical methods. In the present study we designed a two-step protocol that consists of a flowchart that describes rapid, cost-efficient tests for preliminary identification of Actinomyces and closely related species and an updated more comprehensive scheme that also uses fermentation reactions for accurate differentiation of Actinomyces and closely related species. PMID:11682514

Variational Bayesian identification and prediction of stochastic nonlinear dynamic causal models.

PubMed

Daunizeau, J; Friston, K J; Kiebel, S J

2009-11-01

In this paper, we describe a general variational Bayesian approach for approximate inference on nonlinear stochastic dynamic models. This scheme extends established approximate inference on hidden-states to cover: (i) nonlinear evolution and observation functions, (ii) unknown parameters and (precision) hyperparameters and (iii) model comparison and prediction under uncertainty. Model identification or inversion entails the estimation of the marginal likelihood or evidence of a model. This difficult integration problem can be finessed by optimising a free-energy bound on the evidence using results from variational calculus. This yields a deterministic update scheme that optimises an approximation to the posterior density on the unknown model variables. We derive such a variational Bayesian scheme in the context of nonlinear stochastic dynamic hierarchical models, for both model identification and time-series prediction. The computational complexity of the scheme is comparable to that of an extended Kalman filter, which is critical when inverting high dimensional models or long time-series. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we assess the estimation efficiency of this variational Bayesian approach using three stochastic variants of chaotic dynamic systems. We also demonstrate the model comparison capabilities of the method, its self-consistency and its predictive power.

A proposed harmonized LPS molecular-subtyping scheme for Cronobacter species.

PubMed

Yan, Qiongqiong; Jarvis, Karen G; Chase, Hannah R; Hébert, Karine; Trach, Larisa H; Lee, Chloe; Sadowski, Jennifer; Lee, Boram; Hwang, Seongeun; Sathyamoorthy, Venugopal; Mullane, Niall; Pava-Ripoll, Monica; Iversen, Carol; Pagotto, Franco; Fanning, Séamus; Tall, Ben D

2015-09-01

Cronobacter are opportunistic pathogens, which cause infections in all age groups. To aid the characterization of Cronobacter in foods and environments a harmonized LPS identification scheme for molecular serotyping is needed. To this end, we studied 409 Cronobacter isolates representing the seven Cronobacter species using two previously reported molecular serotyping schemes, described here as Mullane-Jarvis (M-J) and Sun schemes. PCR analysis revealed many overlapping results that were obtained when independently applying the two serotyping schemes. There were complete agreements between the two PCR schemes for Cronobacter sakazakii (Csak) O:1, Csak O:3, and Csak O:7 serotypes. However, only thirty-five of 41 Csak O:4 strains, identified using the M-J scheme, were PCR-positive with the Sun scheme primers. Also the Sun scheme Csak O:5 primers failed to identify this serotype in any of the C. sakazakii strains tested, but did recognize seven Cronobacter turicensis strains, which were identified as Ctur O:3 using the M-J scheme. Similarly, the Sun scheme Csak O:6 primers recognized 30 Cronobacter malonaticus O:2 strains identified with the M-J scheme, but failed to identify this serotype in any C. sakazakii strain investigated. In this report, these findings are summarized and a harmonized molecular-serotyping scheme is proposed which is predicated on the correct identification of Cronobacter species, prior to serotype determination. In summary, fourteen serotypes were identified using the combined protocol, which consists of Csak O:1-O:4, and Csak O:7; Cmal O:1-O:2; Cdub O:1-O:2, Cmuy O:1-O:2, Cuni O:1, as well as Ctur O:1 and Ctur O:3. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Hybrid Data Compression Scheme for Power Reduction in Wireless Sensors for IoT.

PubMed

Deepu, Chacko John; Heng, Chun-Huat; Lian, Yong

2017-04-01

This paper presents a novel data compression and transmission scheme for power reduction in Internet-of-Things (IoT) enabled wireless sensors. In the proposed scheme, data is compressed with both lossy and lossless techniques, so as to enable hybrid transmission mode, support adaptive data rate selection and save power in wireless transmission. Applying the method to electrocardiogram (ECG), the data is first compressed using a lossy compression technique with a high compression ratio (CR). The residual error between the original data and the decompressed lossy data is preserved using entropy coding, enabling a lossless restoration of the original data when required. Average CR of 2.1 × and 7.8 × were achieved for lossless and lossy compression respectively with MIT/BIH database. The power reduction is demonstrated using a Bluetooth transceiver and is found to be reduced to 18% for lossy and 53% for lossless transmission respectively. Options for hybrid transmission mode, adaptive rate selection and system level power reduction make the proposed scheme attractive for IoT wireless sensors in healthcare applications.

A Supplementary Clear-Sky Snow and Ice Recognition Technique for CERES Level 2 Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radkevich, Alexander; Khlopenkov, Konstantin; Rutan, David; Kato, Seiji

2013-01-01

Identification of clear-sky snow and ice is an important step in the production of cryosphere radiation budget products, which are used in the derivation of long-term data series for climate research. In this paper, a new method of clear-sky snow/ice identification for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is presented. The algorithm's goal is to enhance the identification of snow and ice within the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data after application of the standard CERES scene identification scheme. The input of the algorithm uses spectral radiances from five MODIS bands and surface skin temperature available in the CERES Single Scanner Footprint (SSF) product. The algorithm produces a cryosphere rating from an aggregated test: a higher rating corresponds to a more certain identification of the clear-sky snow/ice-covered scene. Empirical analysis of regions of interest representing distinctive targets such as snow, ice, ice and water clouds, open waters, and snow-free land selected from a number of MODIS images shows that the cryosphere rating of snow/ice targets falls into 95% confidence intervals lying above the same confidence intervals of all other targets. This enables recognition of clear-sky cryosphere by using a single threshold applied to the rating, which makes this technique different from traditional branching techniques based on multiple thresholds. Limited tests show that the established threshold clearly separates the cryosphere rating values computed for the cryosphere from those computed for noncryosphere scenes, whereas individual tests applied consequently cannot reliably identify the cryosphere for complex scenes.

Dual-illumination mode, wide-field probe imaging scheme for imaging irido-corneal angle region inside eye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinoj, V. K.; Murukeshan, V. M.; Hong, Jesmond; Baskaran, M.; Aung, Tin

2015-07-01

Noninvasive medical imaging techniques have generated great interest and high potential in the research and development of ocular imaging and follow up procedures. It is well known that angle closure glaucoma is one of the major ocular diseases/ conditions that causes blindness. The identification and treatment of this disease are related primarily to angle assessment techniques. In this paper, we illustrate a probe-based imaging approach to obtain the images of the angle region in eye. The proposed probe consists of a micro CCD camera and LED/NIR laser light sources and they are configured at the distal end to enable imaging of iridocorneal region inside eye. With this proposed dualmodal probe, imaging is performed in light (white visible LED ON) and dark (NIR laser light source alone) conditions and the angle region is noticeable in both cases. The imaging using NIR sources have major significance in anterior chamber imaging since it evades pupil constriction due to the bright light and thereby the artificial altering of anterior chamber angle. The proposed methodology and developed scheme are expected to find potential application in glaucoma disease detection and diagnosis.

PAD-MAC: Primary User Activity-Aware Distributed MAC for Multi-Channel Cognitive Radio Networks

PubMed Central

Ali, Amjad; Piran, Md. Jalil; Kim, Hansoo; Yun, Jihyeok; Suh, Doug Young

2015-01-01

Cognitive radio (CR) has emerged as a promising technology to solve problems related to spectrum scarcity and provides a ubiquitous wireless access environment. CR-enabled secondary users (SUs) exploit spectrum white spaces opportunistically and immediately vacate the acquired licensed channels as primary users (PUs) arrive. Accessing the licensed channels without the prior knowledge of PU traffic patterns causes severe throughput degradation due to excessive channel switching and PU-to-SU collisions. Therefore, it is significantly important to design a PU activity-aware medium access control (MAC) protocol for cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In this paper, we first propose a licensed channel usage pattern identification scheme, based on a two-state Markov model, and then estimate the future idle slots using previous observations of the channels. Furthermore, based on these past observations, we compute the rank of each available licensed channel that gives SU transmission success assessment during the estimated idle slot. Secondly, we propose a PU activity-aware distributed MAC (PAD-MAC) protocol for heterogeneous multi-channel CRNs that selects the best channel for each SU to enhance its throughput. PAD-MAC controls SU activities by allowing them to exploit the licensed channels only for the duration of estimated idle slots and enables predictive and fast channel switching. To evaluate the performance of the proposed PAD-MAC, we compare it with the distributed QoS-aware MAC (QC-MAC) and listen-before-talk MAC schemes. Extensive numerical results show the significant improvements of the PAD-MAC in terms of the SU throughput, SU channel switching rate and PU-to-SU collision rate. PMID:25831084

On fuzzy semantic similarity measure for DNA coding.

PubMed

Ahmad, Muneer; Jung, Low Tang; Bhuiyan, Md Al-Amin

2016-02-01

A coding measure scheme numerically translates the DNA sequence to a time domain signal for protein coding regions identification. A number of coding measure schemes based on numerology, geometry, fixed mapping, statistical characteristics and chemical attributes of nucleotides have been proposed in recent decades. Such coding measure schemes lack the biologically meaningful aspects of nucleotide data and hence do not significantly discriminate coding regions from non-coding regions. This paper presents a novel fuzzy semantic similarity measure (FSSM) coding scheme centering on FSSM codons׳ clustering and genetic code context of nucleotides. Certain natural characteristics of nucleotides i.e. appearance as a unique combination of triplets, preserving special structure and occurrence, and ability to own and share density distributions in codons have been exploited in FSSM. The nucleotides׳ fuzzy behaviors, semantic similarities and defuzzification based on the center of gravity of nucleotides revealed a strong correlation between nucleotides in codons. The proposed FSSM coding scheme attains a significant enhancement in coding regions identification i.e. 36-133% as compared to other existing coding measure schemes tested over more than 250 benchmarked and randomly taken DNA datasets of different organisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Organic Colorants in Art Objects by Solution Spectrophotometry: Pigments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billmeyer, Fred W., Jr.; And Others

1981-01-01

Describes solution spectrophotometry as a simple, rapid identification technique for organic paint pigments. Reports research which includes analytical schemes for the extraction and separation of organic pigments based on their solubilities, and the preparation of an extensive reference collection of spectral curves allowing their identification.…

75 FR 977 - Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-07

... Scheme (DEPBS) The DEPBS program enables exporting companies to earn import duty exemptions in the form... Determination, at ``Duty Entitlement Passbook Scheme.'' Therefore, CVP-23 exporters were eligible to earn DEPBS... the POR under the programs listed below: 1. Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme (EPCGS). 2. Export...

Web-Enabled Database Application for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons: An Operations and Sustainment Prototype

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

INTERFACE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ............................................49 1. Typography and Color Scheme...47 Figure 28. Typography and Color Scheme .......................................................................50 Figure 29...76 Figure 52. Survey Results: System Typography

A continually online-trained neural network controller for brushless DC motor drives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rubaai, A.; Kotaru, R.; Kankam, M.D.

2000-04-01

In this paper, a high-performance controller with simultaneous online identification and control is designed for brushless dc motor drives. The dynamics of the motor/load are modeled online, and controlled using two different neural network based identification and control schemes, as the system is in operation. In the first scheme, an attempt is made to control the rotor angular speed, utilizing a single three-hidden-layer network. The second scheme attempts to control the stator currents, using a predetermined control law as a function of the estimated states. This schemes incorporates three multilayered feedforward neural networks that are online trained, using the Levenburg-Marquadtmore » training algorithm. The control of the direct and quadrature components of the stator current successfully tracked a wide variety of trajectories after relatively short online training periods. The control strategy adapts to the uncertainties of the motor/load dynamics and, in addition, learns their inherent nonlinearities. Simulation results illustrated that a neurocontroller used in conjunction with adaptive control schemes can result in a flexible control device which may be utilized in a wide range of environments.« less

Multilocus sequence typing of total-genome-sequenced bacteria.

PubMed

Larsen, Mette V; Cosentino, Salvatore; Rasmussen, Simon; Friis, Carsten; Hasman, Henrik; Marvig, Rasmus Lykke; Jelsbak, Lars; Sicheritz-Pontén, Thomas; Ussery, David W; Aarestrup, Frank M; Lund, Ole

2012-04-01

Accurate strain identification is essential for anyone working with bacteria. For many species, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is considered the "gold standard" of typing, but it is traditionally performed in an expensive and time-consuming manner. As the costs of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) continue to decline, it becomes increasingly available to scientists and routine diagnostic laboratories. Currently, the cost is below that of traditional MLST. The new challenges will be how to extract the relevant information from the large amount of data so as to allow for comparison over time and between laboratories. Ideally, this information should also allow for comparison to historical data. We developed a Web-based method for MLST of 66 bacterial species based on WGS data. As input, the method uses short sequence reads from four sequencing platforms or preassembled genomes. Updates from the MLST databases are downloaded monthly, and the best-matching MLST alleles of the specified MLST scheme are found using a BLAST-based ranking method. The sequence type is then determined by the combination of alleles identified. The method was tested on preassembled genomes from 336 isolates covering 56 MLST schemes, on short sequence reads from 387 isolates covering 10 schemes, and on a small test set of short sequence reads from 29 isolates for which the sequence type had been determined by traditional methods. The method presented here enables investigators to determine the sequence types of their isolates on the basis of WGS data. This method is publicly available at www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/MLST.

Fiber bundle endomicroscopy with multi-illumination for three-dimensional reflectance image reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Yoriko; Sawahata, Hirohito; Kawano, Takeshi; Koida, Kowa; Numano, Rika

2018-02-01

Bundled fiber optics allow in vivo imaging at deep sites in a body. The intrinsic optical contrast detects detailed structures in blood vessels and organs. We developed a bundled-fiber-coupled endomicroscope, enabling stereoscopic three-dimensional (3-D) reflectance imaging with a multipositional illumination scheme. Two illumination sites were attached to obtain reflectance images with left and right illumination. Depth was estimated by the horizontal disparity between the two images under alternative illuminations and was calibrated by the targets with known depths. This depth reconstruction was applied to an animal model to obtain the 3-D structure of blood vessels of the cerebral cortex (Cereb cortex) and preputial gland (Pre gla). The 3-D endomicroscope could be instrumental to microlevel reflectance imaging, improving the precision in subjective depth perception, spatial orientation, and identification of anatomical structures.

An on-line equivalent system identification scheme for adaptive control. Ph.D. Thesis - Stanford Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sliwa, S. M.

1984-01-01

A prime obstacle to the widespread use of adaptive control is the degradation of performance and possible instability resulting from the presence of unmodeled dynamics. The approach taken is to explicitly include the unstructured model uncertainty in the output error identification algorithm. The order of the compensator is successively increased by including identified modes. During this model building stage, heuristic rules are used to test for convergence prior to designing compensators. Additionally, the recursive identification algorithm as extended to multi-input, multi-output systems. Enhancements were also made to reduce the computational burden of an algorithm for obtaining minimal state space realizations from the inexact, multivariate transfer functions which result from the identification process. A number of potential adaptive control applications for this approach are illustrated using computer simulations. Results indicated that when speed of adaptation and plant stability are not critical, the proposed schemes converge to enhance system performance.

Introjective identification: the analytic work of evocation.

PubMed

Eekhoff, Judy K

2016-12-01

This paper focuses on a particular counter-transference process-introjective identification and the evocation it enables. Introjective identification enables evocation because it engages the analyst's radical openness to the experience of the patient at the most primordial level. The accumulated wisdom of Ferenczi and those who followed him is used to discuss the role of introjective identification in the treatment of patients with non-neurotic structures.

External quality assessment schemes raise standards: evidence from the UKNEQAS parasitology subschemes

PubMed Central

Kettelhut, M M; Chiodini, P L; Edwards, H; Moody, A

2003-01-01

Background: The burden of parasitic disease imported into the temperate zone is increasing, and in the tropics remains very high. Thus, high quality diagnostic parasitology services are needed, but to implement clinical governance a measure of quality of service is required. Aim: To examine performance in the United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Scheme for Parasitology for evidence of improved standards in parasite diagnosis in clinical specimens. Methods: Analysis of performance was made for the period 1986 to 2001, to look for trends in performance scores. Results: An overall rise in performance in faecal and blood parasitology schemes was found from 1986 to 2001. This was seen particularly in the identification of ova, cysts, and larvae in the faecal scheme, the detection of Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium vivax in the blood scheme, and also in the correct identification of non-malarial blood parasites. Despite this improvement, there are still problems. In the faecal scheme, participants still experience difficulty in recognising small protozoan cysts, differentiating vegetable matter from cysts, and detecting ova and cysts when more than one species is present. In the blood scheme, participants have problems in identifying mixed malarial infections, distinguishing between P ovale and P vivax, and estimating the percentage parasitaemia. The reasons underlying these problems have been identified via the educational part of the scheme, and have been dealt with by distributing teaching sheets and undertaking practical sessions. Conclusions: UK NEQAS for Parasitology has helped to raise the standard of diagnostic parasitology in the UK. PMID:14645352

SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, FREE ELECTRON LASER, APPLICATION OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY, ETC.: Operating the SDUV-FEL with the echo-enabled harmonic generation scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jian-Hui; Deng, Hai-Xiao; Gu, Qiang; Li, Dong-Guo; Wang, Dong; Zhang, Meng; Zhao, Zhen-Tang

2009-08-01

Using the recently proposed echo-enabled harmonic generation (EEHG) free-electron laser (FEL) scheme, it is shown that operating the Shanghai deep ultraviolet FEL (SDUV-FEL) with single-stage to higher harmonics is very promising, with higher frequency up-conversion efficiency, higher harmonic selectivity and lower power requirement of the seed laser. The considerations on a proof-of-principle experiment and expected performance in SDUV-FEL are given.

Novel toggle-rate based energy-efficient scheme for heavy load real-time IM-DD OFDM-PON with ONU LLID identification in time-domain using amplitude decision.

PubMed

Qin, Youxiang; Zhang, Junjie

2017-07-10

A novel low complexity and energy-efficient scheme by controlling the toggle-rate of ONU with time-domain amplitude identification is proposed for a heavy load downlink in an intensity-modulation and direct-detection orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical network (IM-DD OFDM-PON). In a conventional OFDM-PON downlink, all ONUs have to perform demodulation for all the OFDM frames in a broadcast way no matter whether the frames are targeted to or not, which causes a huge energy waste. However, in our scheme, the optical network unit (ONU) logical link identifications (LLIDs) are inserted into each downlink OFDM frame in time-domain at the optical line terminal (OLT) side. At the ONU side, the LLID is obtained with a low complexity and high precision amplitude identification method. The ONU sets the toggle-rate of demodulation module to zero when the frames are not targeted to, which avoids unnecessary digital signal processing (DSP) energy consumption. Compared with the sleep-mode methods consisting of clock recovery and synchronization, toggle-rate shows its advantage in fast changing, which is more suitable for the heavy load scenarios. Moreover, for the first time to our knowledge, the characteristics of the proposed scheme are investigated in a real-time IM-DD OFDM system, which performs well at the received optical power as low as -21dBm. The experimental results show that 25.1% energy consumption can be saved in the receiver compared to the conventional configurations.

Mining MaNGA for Merging Galaxies: A New Imaging and Kinematic Technique from Hydrodynamical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nevin, Becky; Comerford, Julia M.; Blecha, Laura

2018-06-01

Merging galaxies play a key role in galaxy evolution, and progress in our understanding of galaxy evolution is slowed by the difficulty of making accurate galaxy merger identifications. Mergers are typically identified using imaging alone, which has its limitations and biases. With the growing popularity of integral field spectroscopy (IFS), it is now possible to use kinematic signatures to improve galaxy merger identifications. I use GADGET-3 hydrodynamical simulations of merging galaxies with the radiative transfer code SUNRISE, the later of which enables me to apply the same analysis to simulations and observations. From the simulated galaxies, I have developed the first merging galaxy classification scheme that is based on kinematics and imaging. Utilizing a Linear Discriminant Analysis tool, I have determined which kinematic and imaging predictors are most useful for identifying mergers of various merger parameters (such as orientation, mass ratio, gas fraction, and merger stage). I will discuss the strengths and limitations of the classification technique and then my initial results for applying the classification to the >10,000 observed galaxies in the MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point) IFS survey. Through accurate identification of merging galaxies in the MaNGA survey, I will advance our understanding of supermassive black hole growth in galaxy mergers and other open questions related to galaxy evolution.

The Benefits of Partnership Schemes to Schools and Research Students: A Case Study of the Researchers in Residence Scheme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barley, Helen; Karim, Muhammed; Gilchrist, Myra; Gillies, Andrew

2013-01-01

To meet the needs of a modern Scottish society, a "Curriculum for Excellence" enables teachers to deliver a more coherent and skills-based curriculum, involving partnerships with external agencies. This article analyses the work of one host school/researcher team through the Researchers in Residence scheme in an Edinburgh secondary…

The utility of information collected by occupational disease surveillance systems.

PubMed

Money, A; Carder, M; Hussey, L; Agius, R M

2015-11-01

The Health and Occupation Research (THOR) network in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) is an integrated system of surveillance schemes collecting work-related ill-health (WRIH) data since 1989. In addition to providing information about disease incidence, trends in incidence and the identification of new hazards, THOR also operates an ad hoc data enquiry service enabling interested parties to request information about cases of WRIH reported to THOR. To examine requests for information made to a network of surveillance schemes for WRIH in the UK. Analysis via SPSS of data requests received by THOR between 2002 and 2014. A total of 631 requests were received by THOR between 2002 and 2014. Requests were predominantly submitted by participating THOR physicians (34%) and the main THOR funder-the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) (31%). The majority (67%) of requests were for information about work-related respiratory or skin disease with relatively few requests for other diagnoses, such as musculoskeletal or mental ill-health. Requests frequently related to a specific industry and/or occupation (42%) and/or a specific causal agent (58%). Data collected by occupational disease surveillance systems such as THOR are an extremely useful source of information, the use of which extends beyond informing government on disease incidence and trends in incidence. The data collected provide a framework that can assist a wide range of enquirers with clinical diagnoses, identification of suspected causative agents/exposures and to highlight growing risks in particular industrial and occupational sectors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Intelligent systems for the autonomous exploration of Titan and Enceladus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furfaro, Roberto; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Kargel, Jeffrey S.; Fink, Wolfgang

2008-04-01

Future planetary exploration of the outer satellites of the Solar System will require higher levels of onboard automation, including autonomous determination of sites where the probability of significant scientific findings is highest. Generally, the level of needed automation is heavily influenced by the distance between Earth and the robotic explorer(s) (e.g. spacecraft(s), rover(s), and balloon(s)). Therefore, planning missions to the outer satellites mandates the analysis, design and integration within the mission architecture of semi- and/or completely autonomous intelligence systems. Such systems should (1) include software packages that enable fully automated and comprehensive identification, characterization, and quantification of feature information within an operational region with subsequent target prioritization and selection for close-up reexamination; and (2) integrate existing information with acquired, "in transit" spatial and temporal sensor data to automatically perform intelligent planetary reconnaissance, which includes identification of sites with the highest potential to yield significant geological and astrobiological information. In this paper we review and compare some of the available Artificial Intelligence (AI) schemes and their adaptation to the problem of designing expert systems for onboard-based, autonomous science to be performed in the course of outer satellites exploration. More specifically, the fuzzy-logic framework proposed is analyzed in some details to show the effectiveness of such a scheme when applied to the problem of designing expert systems capable of identifying and further exploring regions on Titan and/or Enceladus that have the highest potential to yield evidence for past or present life. Based on available information (e.g., Cassini data), the current knowledge and understanding of Titan and Enceladus environments is evaluated to define a path for the design of a fuzzy-based system capable of reasoning over collected data and capable of providing the inference required to autonomously optimize future outer satellites explorations.

Use of Enzyme Tests in Characterization and Identification of Aerobic and Facultatively Anaerobic Gram-Positive Cocci

PubMed Central

Bascomb, Shoshana; Manafi, Mammad

1998-01-01

The contribution of enzyme tests to the accurate and rapid routine identification of gram-positive cocci is introduced. The current taxonomy of the genera of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic cocci based on genotypic and phenotypic characterization is reviewed. The clinical and economic importance of members of these taxa is briefly summarized. Tables summarizing test schemes and kits available for the identification of staphylococci, enterococci, and streptococci on the basis of general requirements, number of tests, number of taxa, test classes, and completion times are discussed. Enzyme tests included in each scheme are compared on the basis of their synthetic moiety. The current understanding of the activity of enzymes important for classification and identification of the major groups, methods of testing, and relevance to the ease and speed of identification are reviewed. Publications describing the use of different identification kits are listed, and overall identification successes and problems are discussed. The relationships between the results of conventional biochemical and rapid enzyme tests are described and considered. The use of synthetic substrates for the detection of glycosidases and peptidases is reviewed, and the advantages of fluorogenic synthetic moieties are discussed. The relevance of enzyme tests to accurate and meaningful rapid routine identification is discussed. PMID:9564566

Identification of Unexpressed Premises and Argumentation Schemes by Students in Secondary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Eemeren, Frans H.; And Others

1995-01-01

Reports on exploratory empirical investigations on the performances of Dutch secondary education students in identifying unexpressed premises and argumentation schemes. Finds that, in the absence of any disambiguating contextual information, unexpressed major premises and non-syllogistic premises are more often correctly identified that…

Acute pesticide poisoning: a proposed classification tool.

PubMed

Thundiyil, Josef G; Stober, Judy; Besbelli, Nida; Pronczuk, Jenny

2008-03-01

Cases of acute pesticide poisoning (APP) account for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Developing countries are particularly susceptible due to poorer regulation, lack of surveillance systems, less enforcement, lack of training and inadequate access to information systems. Previous research has demonstrated wide variability in incidence rates for APP. This is possibly due to inconsistent reporting methodology and exclusion of occupational and non-intentional poisonings. The purpose of this document is to create a standard case definition to facilitate the identification and diagnosis of all causes of APP, especially at the field level, rural clinics and primary health-care systems. This document is a synthesis of existing literature and case definitions that have been previously proposed by other authors around the world. It provides a standardized case definition and classification scheme for APP into categories of probable, possible and unlikely/unknown cases. Its use is intended to be applicable worldwide to contribute to identification of the scope of existing problems and thus promote action for improved management and prevention. By enabling a field diagnosis for APP, this standardized case definition may facilitate immediate medical management of pesticide poisoning and aid in estimating its incidence.

A Theoretical Analysis of a New Polarimetric Optical Scheme for Glucose Sensing in the Human Eye

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rovati, Luigi L.; Boeckle, Stefan; Ansari, Rafat R.; Salzman, Jack A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The challenging task of in vivo polarimetric glucose sensing is the identification and selection of a scheme to optically access the aqueous humor of the human eye. In this short communication an earlier approach of Cote et al. is theoretically compared with our new optical scheme. Simulations of the new scheme using the eye model of Navarro, suggest that the new optical geometry can overcome the limitations of the previous approach for in vivo measurements of glucose in a human eye.

System identification of propagating wave segments in excitable media and its application to advanced control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsumata, Hisatoshi; Konishi, Keiji; Hara, Naoyuki

2018-04-01

The present paper proposes a scheme for controlling wave segments in excitable media. This scheme consists of two phases: in the first phase, a simple mathematical model for wave segments is derived using only the time series data of input and output signals for the media; in the second phase, the model derived in the first phase is used in an advanced control technique. We demonstrate with numerical simulations of the Oregonator model that this scheme performs better than a conventional control scheme.

Identification of damage in structural systems using modal data

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-04-01

To develop a useful global damage identification scheme, noise and spareseness of the measured modal data must be taken into account. Measurement noise if inevitable. If one does not consider noise and its random nature, the damage evaluation algorit...

Presumptive identification of streptococci with a new test system.

PubMed Central

Facklam, R R; Thacker, L G; Fox, B; Eriquez, L

1982-01-01

A test is described that could replace bacitracin susceptibility for presumptive identification of group A streptococci as well as 6.5% NaCl agar tolerance for presumptive identification of enterococcal streptococci. The L-pyrrolidonyl-beta-naphthylamide test, based on hydrolysis of pyrrolidonyl-beta-naphthylamide, was used in conjunction with the CAMP and bile-esculin tests to presumptively identify the streptococci. Among the beta-hemolytic streptococci; 98% of 50 group A, 98% of 46 group B, and 100% of 70 strains that were not group A, B, or D were correctly identified by the new presumptive test scheme. Among the non-beta-hemolytic streptococci; 96% of 74 group D enterococcal, 100% of 30 group D nonenterococcal, and 82% of 112 viridans strains were correctly identified by the new presumptive test scheme. PMID:7050157

Approximation methods for inverse problems involving the vibration of beams with tip bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, I. G.

1984-01-01

Two cubic spline based approximation schemes for the estimation of structural parameters associated with the transverse vibration of flexible beams with tip appendages are outlined. The identification problem is formulated as a least squares fit to data subject to the system dynamics which are given by a hybrid system of coupled ordinary and partial differential equations. The first approximation scheme is based upon an abstract semigroup formulation of the state equation while a weak/variational form is the basis for the second. Cubic spline based subspaces together with a Rayleigh-Ritz-Galerkin approach were used to construct sequences of easily solved finite dimensional approximating identification problems. Convergence results are briefly discussed and a numerical example demonstrating the feasibility of the schemes and exhibiting their relative performance for purposes of comparison is provided.

A secure smart-card based authentication and key agreement scheme for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Lee, Tian-Fu; Liu, Chuan-Ming

2013-06-01

A smart-card based authentication scheme for telecare medicine information systems enables patients, doctors, nurses, health visitors and the medicine information systems to establish a secure communication platform through public networks. Zhu recently presented an improved authentication scheme in order to solve the weakness of the authentication scheme of Wei et al., where the off-line password guessing attacks cannot be resisted. This investigation indicates that the improved scheme of Zhu has some faults such that the authentication scheme cannot execute correctly and is vulnerable to the attack of parallel sessions. Additionally, an enhanced authentication scheme based on the scheme of Zhu is proposed. The enhanced scheme not only avoids the weakness in the original scheme, but also provides users' anonymity and authenticated key agreements for secure data communications.

Unprovable Security of Two-Message Zero Knowledge

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-19

functions on NP-hardness. In STOC ’06, pages 701–710, 2006. 10 [BCC88] Gilles Brassard, David Chaum , and Claude Crépeau. Minimum disclosure proofs...security of several primitives (e.g., Schnorr’s identification scheme, commitment schemes secure under weak notions of selective open- ing, Chaum blind

Classification of Dust Days by Satellite Remotely Sensed Aerosol Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sorek-Hammer, M.; Cohen, A.; Levy, Robert C.; Ziv, B.; Broday, D. M.

2013-01-01

Considerable progress in satellite remote sensing (SRS) of dust particles has been seen in the last decade. From an environmental health perspective, such an event detection, after linking it to ground particulate matter (PM) concentrations, can proxy acute exposure to respirable particles of certain properties (i.e. size, composition, and toxicity). Being affected considerably by atmospheric dust, previous studies in the Eastern Mediterranean, and in Israel in particular, have focused on mechanistic and synoptic prediction, classification, and characterization of dust events. In particular, a scheme for identifying dust days (DD) in Israel based on ground PM10 (particulate matter of size smaller than 10 nm) measurements has been suggested, which has been validated by compositional analysis. This scheme requires information regarding ground PM10 levels, which is naturally limited in places with sparse ground-monitoring coverage. In such cases, SRS may be an efficient and cost-effective alternative to ground measurements. This work demonstrates a new model for identifying DD and non-DD (NDD) over Israel based on an integration of aerosol products from different satellite platforms (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)). Analysis of ground-monitoring data from 2007 to 2008 in southern Israel revealed 67 DD, with more than 88 percent occurring during winter and spring. A Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model that was applied to a database containing ground monitoring (the dependent variable) and SRS aerosol product (the independent variables) records revealed an optimal set of binary variables for the identification of DD. These variables are combinations of the following primary variables: the calendar month, ground-level relative humidity (RH), the aerosol optical depth (AOD) from MODIS, and the aerosol absorbing index (AAI) from OMI. A logistic regression that uses these variables, coded as binary variables, demonstrated 93.2 percent correct classifications of DD and NDD. Evaluation of the combined CART-logistic regression scheme in an adjacent geographical region (Gush Dan) demonstrated good results. Using SRS aerosol products for DD and NDD, identification may enable us to distinguish between health, ecological, and environmental effects that result from exposure to these distinct particle populations.

Eliminating the dichotomy between theory and practice in talent identification and development: considering the role of psychology.

PubMed

Abbott, Angela; Collins, Dave

2004-05-01

It is acknowledged that appropriate support and training are essential if talented individuals are to fulfil their potential. The early identification of talented athletes is an increasingly important consideration for researchers and practitioners alike. Once talented individuals have been detected, crucial but limited support resources can be optimally deployed to ensure that their needs are met and that their gifts are developed. However, there is considerable disagreement among experts on what talent is, and which factors can reliably be used within talent identification processes. This paper explores prerequisites to success in sport, and the comparative efficacy of employing these prerequisites within talent identification schemes. It is proposed that talent needs to be reconceptualized so that talent identification and talent development processes are perceived to be dynamic and interrelated. Additionally, the need to place greater emphasis on the capacity of a child to develop in sport and the psychological factors that underpin this process is highlighted. To this end, it is advocated that talent identification and development schemes, while emphasizing the multidimensional nature of talent, need to recognize the essential role of psychology in the ability of individuals to fulfil their sporting potential.

A finite difference scheme for the equilibrium equations of elastic bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, T. N.; Rose, M. E.

1984-01-01

A compact difference scheme is described for treating the first-order system of partial differential equations which describe the equilibrium equations of an elastic body. An algebraic simplification enables the solution to be obtained by standard direct or iterative techniques.

Agile SE Enablers and Quantification Project: Identification, Characterization, and Evaluation Criteria for Systems Engineering Agile Enablers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-16

Enablers Draft Technical Report SERC -2015-049-1 January 16, 2015 Principal Investigator: Dr. Richard Turner, Stevens Institute of...Hudson, Hoboken, NJ 07030 1 Copyright © 2015 Stevens Institute of Technology The Systems Engineering Research Center ( SERC ) is a federally...inappropriate enablers are not pursued. The identification criteria developed for RT-124 are based on earlier SERC work. [4, 5, 6]: 1 Operated by DAU

Immunity-based detection, identification, and evaluation of aircraft sub-system failures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moncayo, Hever Y.

This thesis describes the design, development, and flight-simulation testing of an integrated Artificial Immune System (AIS) for detection, identification, and evaluation of a wide variety of sensor, actuator, propulsion, and structural failures/damages including the prediction of the achievable states and other limitations on performance and handling qualities. The AIS scheme achieves high detection rate and low number of false alarms for all the failure categories considered. Data collected using a motion-based flight simulator are used to define the self for an extended sub-region of the flight envelope. The NASA IFCS F-15 research aircraft model is used and represents a supersonic fighter which include model following adaptive control laws based on non-linear dynamic inversion and artificial neural network augmentation. The flight simulation tests are designed to analyze and demonstrate the performance of the immunity-based aircraft failure detection, identification and evaluation (FDIE) scheme. A general robustness analysis is also presented by determining the achievable limits for a desired performance in the presence of atmospheric perturbations. For the purpose of this work, the integrated AIS scheme is implemented based on three main components. The first component performs the detection when one of the considered failures is present in the system. The second component consists in the identification of the failure category and the classification according to the failed element. During the third phase a general evaluation of the failure is performed with the estimation of the magnitude/severity of the failure and the prediction of its effect on reducing the flight envelope of the aircraft system. Solutions and alternatives to specific design issues of the AIS scheme, such as data clustering and empty space optimization, data fusion and duplication removal, definition of features, dimensionality reduction, and selection of cluster/detector shape are also analyzed in this thesis. They showed to have an important effect on detection performance and are a critical aspect when designing the configuration of the AIS. The results presented in this thesis show that the AIS paradigm addresses directly the complexity and multi-dimensionality associated with a damaged aircraft dynamic response and provides the tools necessary for a comprehensive/integrated solution to the FDIE problem. Excellent detection, identification, and evaluation performance has been recorded for all types of failures considered. The implementation of the proposed AIS-based scheme can potentially have a significant impact on the safety of aircraft operation. The output information obtained from the scheme will be useful to increase pilot situational awareness and determine automated compensation.

TTEO (Things Talk to Each Other): Programming Smart Spaces Based on IoT Systems.

PubMed

Yun, Jaeseok; Ahn, Il-Yeup; Choi, Sung-Chan; Kim, Jaeho

2016-04-01

The Internet of Things allows things in the world to be connected to each other and enables them to automate daily tasks without human intervention, eventually building smart spaces. This article demonstrates a prototype service based on the Internet of Things, TTEO (Things Talk to Each Other). We present the full details on the system architecture and the software platforms for IoT servers and devices, called Mobius and &Cube, respectively, complying with the globally-applicable IoT standards, oneM2M, a unique identification scheme for a huge number of IoT devices, and service scenarios with an intuitive smartphone app. We hope that our approach will help developers and lead users for IoT devices and application services to establish an emerging IoT ecosystem, just like the ecosystem for smartphones and mobile applications.

Impact of Pathogen Population Heterogeneity and Stress-Resistant Variants on Food Safety.

PubMed

Abee, T; Koomen, J; Metselaar, K I; Zwietering, M H; den Besten, H M W

2016-01-01

This review elucidates the state-of-the-art knowledge about pathogen population heterogeneity and describes the genotypic and phenotypic analyses of persister subpopulations and stress-resistant variants. The molecular mechanisms underlying the generation of persister phenotypes and genetic variants are identified. Zooming in on Listeria monocytogenes, a comparative whole-genome sequence analysis of wild types and variants that enabled the identification of mutations in variants obtained after a single exposure to lethal food-relevant stresses is described. Genotypic and phenotypic features are compared to those for persistent strains isolated from food processing environments. Inactivation kinetics, models used for fitting, and the concept of kinetic modeling-based schemes for detection of variants are presented. Furthermore, robustness and fitness parameters of L. monocytogenes wild type and variants are used to model their performance in food chains. Finally, the impact of stress-resistant variants and persistence in food processing environments on food safety is discussed.

TTEO (Things Talk to Each Other): Programming Smart Spaces Based on IoT Systems

PubMed Central

Yun, Jaeseok; Ahn, Il-Yeup; Choi, Sung-Chan; Kim, Jaeho

2016-01-01

The Internet of Things allows things in the world to be connected to each other and enables them to automate daily tasks without human intervention, eventually building smart spaces. This article demonstrates a prototype service based on the Internet of Things, TTEO (Things Talk to Each Other). We present the full details on the system architecture and the software platforms for IoT servers and devices, called Mobius and &Cube, respectively, complying with the globally-applicable IoT standards, oneM2M, a unique identification scheme for a huge number of IoT devices, and service scenarios with an intuitive smartphone app. We hope that our approach will help developers and lead users for IoT devices and application services to establish an emerging IoT ecosystem, just like the ecosystem for smartphones and mobile applications. PMID:27043578

Ultrafast fingerprint indexing for embedded systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ru; Sin, Sang Woo; Li, Dongju; Isshiki, Tsuyoshi; Kunieda, Hiroaki

2011-10-01

A novel core-based fingerprint indexing scheme for embedded systems is presented in this paper. Our approach is enabled by our new precise and fast core-detection algorithm with the direction map. It introduces the feature of CMP (core minutiae pair), which describes the coordinates of minutiae and the direction of ridges associated with the minutiae based on the uniquely defined core coordinates. Since each CMP is identical against the shift and rotation of the fingerprint image, the CMP comparison between a template and an input image can be performed without any alignment. The proposed indexing algorithm based on CMP is suitable for embedded systems because the tremendous speed up and the memory reduction are achieved. In fact, the experiments with the fingerprint database FVC2002 show that its speed for the identifications becomes about 40 times faster than conventional approaches, even though the database includes fingerprints with no core.

Factors involved in the etiology of temporomandibular disorders - a literature review

PubMed Central

CHISNOIU, ANDREA MARIA; PICOS, ALINA MONICA; POPA, SEVER; CHISNOIU, PETRE DANIEL; LASCU, LIANA; PICOS, ANDREI; CHISNOIU, RADU

2015-01-01

Background and aim This review aims at presenting a current view on the most frequent factors involved in the mechanisms causing temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Method We conducted a critical review of the literature for the period January 2000 to December 2014 to identify factors related to TMD development and persistence. Results The etiology of TMD is multidimensional: biomechanical, neuromuscular, bio-psychosocial and biological factors may contribute to the disorder. Occlusal overloading and parafunctions (bruxism) are frequently involved as biomechanical factors; increased levels of estrogen hormones are considered biological factors affecting the temporo-mandibular-joint. Among bio-psychosocial factors, stress, anxiety or depression, were frequently encountered. Conclusions The etiopathogenesis of this condition is poorly understood, therefore TMDs are difficult to diagnose and manage. Early and correct identification of the possible etiologic factors will enable the appropriate treatment scheme application in order to reduce or eliminate TMDs debilitating signs and symptoms. PMID:26732121

Implementing digital skills training in care homes: a literature review.

PubMed

Wild, Deidre; Kydd, Angela; Szczepura, Ala

2016-05-01

This article is the first of a two-part series that informs and describes digital skills training using a dedicated console computer provided for staff and residents in a care home setting. This was part of a programme of culture change in a large care home with nursing in Glasgow, Scotland. The literature review shows that over the past decade there has been a gradual increase in the use of digital technology by staff and older people in community settings including care homes. Policy from the European Commission presents a persuasive argument for the advancement of technology-enabled care to counter the future impact of an increased number of people of advanced age on finite health and social care resources. The psychosocial and environmental issues that inhibit or enhance the acquisition of digital skills in care homes are considered and include the identification of exemplar schemes and the support involved.

Feasibility study of generating ultra-high harmonic radiation with a single stage echo-enabled harmonic generation scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Kaishang; Feng, Chao; Wang, Dong

2016-10-01

The echo enabled harmonic generation (EEHG) scheme holds the ability for the generation of fully coherent soft x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) pulses directly from external UV seeding sources. In this paper, we study the feasibility of using a single stage EEHG to generate coherent radiation in the "water window" and beyond. Using the high-order operating modes of the EEHG scheme, intensive numerical simulations have been performed considering various three-dimensional effects. The simulation results demonstrated that coherent soft x-ray radiation at 150th harmonic (1.77 nm) of the seed can be produced by a single stage EEHG. The decreasing of the final bunching factor at the desired harmonic caused by intra beam scattering (IBS) effect has also been analyzed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin Jiasen; Yu Changshui; Song Heshan

We propose a scheme for identifying an unknown Bell diagonal state. In our scheme the measurements are performed on the probe qubits instead of the Bell diagonal state. The distinct advantage is that the quantum state of the evolved Bell diagonal state ensemble plus probe states will still collapse on the original Bell diagonal state ensemble after the measurement on probe states; i.e., our identification is quantum state nondestructive. How to realize our scheme in the framework of cavity electrodynamics is also shown.

Modern control concepts in hydrology. [parameter identification in adaptive stochastic control approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, N.; Winn, C. B.; Johnson, G. R.

1975-01-01

Two approaches to an identification problem in hydrology are presented, based upon concepts from modern control and estimation theory. The first approach treats the identification of unknown parameters in a hydrologic system subject to noisy inputs as an adaptive linear stochastic control problem; the second approach alters the model equation to account for the random part in the inputs, and then uses a nonlinear estimation scheme to estimate the unknown parameters. Both approaches use state-space concepts. The identification schemes are sequential and adaptive and can handle either time-invariant or time-dependent parameters. They are used to identify parameters in the Prasad model of rainfall-runoff. The results obtained are encouraging and confirm the results from two previous studies; the first using numerical integration of the model equation along with a trial-and-error procedure, and the second using a quasi-linearization technique. The proposed approaches offer a systematic way of analyzing the rainfall-runoff process when the input data are imbedded in noise.

A new modelling and identification scheme for time-delay systems with experimental investigation: a relay feedback approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Saurabh; Majhi, Somanath; Ghorai, Prasenjit

2017-07-01

In this paper, the conventional relay feedback test has been modified for modelling and identification of a class of real-time dynamical systems in terms of linear transfer function models with time-delay. An ideal relay and unknown systems are connected through a negative feedback loop to bring the sustained oscillatory output around the non-zero setpoint. Thereafter, the obtained limit cycle information is substituted in the derived mathematical equations for accurate identification of unknown plants in terms of overdamped, underdamped, critically damped second-order plus dead time and stable first-order plus dead time transfer function models. Typical examples from the literature are included for the validation of the proposed identification scheme through computer simulations. Subsequently, the comparisons between estimated model and true system are drawn through integral absolute error criterion and frequency response plots. Finally, the obtained output responses through simulations are verified experimentally on real-time liquid level control system using Yokogawa Distributed Control System CENTUM CS3000 set up.

Designs and numerical calculations for echo-enabled harmonic generation at very high harmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penn, G.; Reinsch, M.

2011-09-01

The echo-enabled harmonic generation (EEHG) scheme for driving an FEL using two seeded energy modulations at much longer wavelengths than the output wavelength is a promising concept for future seeded FELs. There are many competing requirements in the design of an EEHG beamline which need careful optimization. Furthermore, revised simulation tools and methods are necessary because of both the high harmonic numbers simulated and the complicated nature of the phase space manipulations which are intrinsic to the scheme. This paper explores the constraints on performance and the required tolerances for reaching wavelengths well below 1/100th of that of the seed lasers, and describes some of the methodology for designing such a beamline. Numerical tools, developed both for the GENESIS and GINGER FEL codes, are presented and used here for more accurate study of the scheme beyond a time-averaged model. In particular, the impact of the local structure in peak current and bunching, which is an inherent part of the EEHG scheme, is evaluated.

Identification of isomers and control of ionization and dissociation processes using dual-mass-spectrometer scheme and genetic algorithm optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhou; Tong, Qiu-Nan; Zhang, Cong-Cong; Hu, Zhan

2015-04-01

Identification of acetone and its two isomers, and the control of their ionization and dissociation processes are performed using a dual-mass-spectrometer scheme. The scheme employs two sets of time of flight mass spectrometers to simultaneously acquire the mass spectra of two different molecules under the irradiation of identically shaped femtosecond laser pulses. The optimal laser pulses are found using closed-loop learning method based on a genetic algorithm. Compared with the mass spectra of the two isomers that are obtained with the transform limited pulse, those obtained under the irradiation of the optimal laser pulse show large differences and the various reaction pathways of the two molecules are selectively controlled. The experimental results demonstrate that the scheme is quite effective and useful in studies of two molecules having common mass peaks, which makes a traditional single mass spectrometer unfeasible. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2013CB922200) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11374124).

An Architecture for Enabling Migration of Tactical Networks to Future Flexible Ad Hoc WBWF

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Requirements Several multiple access schemes TDMA OFDMA SC-OFDMA, FH- CDMA , DS - CDMA , hybrid access schemes, transitions between them Dynamic...parameters algorithms depend on the multiple access scheme If DS - CDMA : handling of macro-diversity (linked to cooperative routing) TDMA and/of OFDMA...Transport format Ciphering @MAC/RLC level : SCM Physical layer (PHY) : signal processing (mod, FEC, etc) CDMA : macro-diversity CDMA , OFDMA

Semantic Annotation of Computational Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderbilt, Peter; Mehrotra, Piyush

2004-01-01

This paper describes a methodology to specify machine-processable semantic descriptions of computational components to enable them to be shared and reused. A particular focus of this scheme is to enable automatic compositon of such components into simple work-flows.

Discriminative and robust zero-watermarking scheme based on completed local binary pattern for authentication and copyright identification of medical images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiyao; Lou, Jieting; Wang, Yifan; Du, Jingyu; Zou, Beiji; Chen, Yan

2018-03-01

Authentication and copyright identification are two critical security issues for medical images. Although zerowatermarking schemes can provide durable, reliable and distortion-free protection for medical images, the existing zerowatermarking schemes for medical images still face two problems. On one hand, they rarely considered the distinguishability for medical images, which is critical because different medical images are sometimes similar to each other. On the other hand, their robustness against geometric attacks, such as cropping, rotation and flipping, is insufficient. In this study, a novel discriminative and robust zero-watermarking (DRZW) is proposed to address these two problems. In DRZW, content-based features of medical images are first extracted based on completed local binary pattern (CLBP) operator to ensure the distinguishability and robustness, especially against geometric attacks. Then, master shares and ownership shares are generated from the content-based features and watermark according to (2,2) visual cryptography. Finally, the ownership shares are stored for authentication and copyright identification. For queried medical images, their content-based features are extracted and master shares are generated. Their watermarks for authentication and copyright identification are recovered by stacking the generated master shares and stored ownership shares. 200 different medical images of 5 types are collected as the testing data and our experimental results demonstrate that DRZW ensures both the accuracy and reliability of authentication and copyright identification. When fixing the false positive rate to 1.00%, the average value of false negative rates by using DRZW is only 1.75% under 20 common attacks with different parameters.

Trinary signed-digit arithmetic using an efficient encoding scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salim, W. Y.; Alam, M. S.; Fyath, R. S.; Ali, S. A.

2000-09-01

The trinary signed-digit (TSD) number system is of interest for ultrafast optoelectronic computing systems since it permits parallel carry-free addition and borrow-free subtraction of two arbitrary length numbers in constant time. In this paper, a simple coding scheme is proposed to encode the decimal number directly into the TSD form. The coding scheme enables one to perform parallel one-step TSD arithmetic operation. The proposed coding scheme uses only a 5-combination coding table instead of the 625-combination table reported recently for recoded TSD arithmetic technique.

One-step trinary signed-digit arithmetic using an efficient encoding scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salim, W. Y.; Fyath, R. S.; Ali, S. A.; Alam, Mohammad S.

2000-11-01

The trinary signed-digit (TSD) number system is of interest for ultra fast optoelectronic computing systems since it permits parallel carry-free addition and borrow-free subtraction of two arbitrary length numbers in constant time. In this paper, a simple coding scheme is proposed to encode the decimal number directly into the TSD form. The coding scheme enables one to perform parallel one-step TSD arithmetic operation. The proposed coding scheme uses only a 5-combination coding table instead of the 625-combination table reported recently for recoded TSD arithmetic technique.

Multiply scaled constrained nonlinear equation solvers. [for nonlinear heat conduction problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padovan, Joe; Krishna, Lala

1986-01-01

To improve the numerical stability of nonlinear equation solvers, a partitioned multiply scaled constraint scheme is developed. This scheme enables hierarchical levels of control for nonlinear equation solvers. To complement the procedure, partitioned convergence checks are established along with self-adaptive partitioning schemes. Overall, such procedures greatly enhance the numerical stability of the original solvers. To demonstrate and motivate the development of the scheme, the problem of nonlinear heat conduction is considered. In this context the main emphasis is given to successive substitution-type schemes. To verify the improved numerical characteristics associated with partitioned multiply scaled solvers, results are presented for several benchmark examples.

Generation of subterawatt-attosecond pulses in a soft x-ray free-electron laser

DOE PAGES

Huang, Senlin; Ding, Yuantao; Huang, Zhirong; ...

2016-08-15

Here, we propose a novel scheme to generate attosecond soft x rays in a self-seeded free-electron laser (FEL) suitable for enabling attosecond spectroscopic investigations. A time-energy chirped electron bunch with additional sinusoidal energy modulation is adopted to produce a short seed pulse through a self-seeding monochromator. This short seed pulse, together with high electron current spikes and a cascaded delay setup, enables a high-efficiency FEL with a fresh bunch scheme. Simulations show that using the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) parameters, soft x-ray pulses with a FWHM of 260 attoseconds and a peak power of 0.5 TW can be obtained.more » This scheme also has the feature of providing a stable central wavelength determined by the self-seeding monochromator.« less

Analytical minimization of synchronicity errors in stochastic identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernal, D.

2018-01-01

An approach to minimize error due to synchronicity faults in stochastic system identification is presented. The scheme is based on shifting the time domain signals so the phases of the fundamental eigenvector estimated from the spectral density are zero. A threshold on the mean of the amplitude-weighted absolute value of these phases, above which signal shifting is deemed justified, is derived and found to be proportional to the first mode damping ratio. It is shown that synchronicity faults do not map precisely to phasor multiplications in subspace identification and that the accuracy of spectral density estimated eigenvectors, for inputs with arbitrary spectral density, decrease with increasing mode number. Selection of a corrective strategy based on signal alignment, instead of eigenvector adjustment using phasors, is shown to be the product of the foregoing observations. Simulations that include noise and non-classical damping suggest that the scheme can provide sufficient accuracy to be of practical value.

Looking at flood trends with different eyes: the value of a fuzzy flood classification scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikorska, A. E.; Viviroli, D.; Brunner, M. I.; Seibert, J.

2016-12-01

Natural floods can be governed by several processes such as heavy rainfall or intense snow- or glacier-melt. These processes result in different flood characteristics in terms of flood shape and magnitude. Pooling floods of different types might therefore impair the analyses of flood frequencies and trends. Thus, the categorization of flood events into different flood type classes and the determination of their respective frequencies is essential for a better understanding and for the prediction of floods. In reality however most flood events are caused by a mix of processes and a unique determination of a flood type per event often becomes difficult. This study proposes an innovative method for a more reliable categorization of floods according to similarities in flood drivers. The categorization of floods into subgroups relies on a fuzzy decision tree. While the classical (crisp) decision tree allows for the identification of only one flood type per event, the fuzzy approach enables the detection of mixed types. Hence, events are represented as a spectrum of six possible flood types, while a degree of acceptance attributed to each of them specifies the importance of each type during the event formation. Considered types are flash, short rainfall, long rainfall, snow-melt, rainfall-on-snow, and, in high altitude watersheds, also glacier-melt floods. The fuzzy concept also enables uncertainty present in the identification of flood processes and in the method to be incorporated into the flood categorization process. We demonstrate, for a set of nine Swiss watersheds and 30 years of observations, that this new concept provides more reliable flood estimates than the classical approach as it allows for a more dedicated flood prevention technique adapted to a specific flood type.

Modeling the trade-off between diet costs and methane emissions: A goal programming approach.

PubMed

Moraes, L E; Fadel, J G; Castillo, A R; Casper, D P; Tricarico, J M; Kebreab, E

2015-08-01

Enteric methane emission is a major greenhouse gas from livestock production systems worldwide. Dietary manipulation may be an effective emission-reduction tool; however, the associated costs may preclude its use as a mitigation strategy. Several studies have identified dietary manipulation strategies for the mitigation of emissions, but studies examining the costs of reducing methane by manipulating diets are scarce. Furthermore, the trade-off between increase in dietary costs and reduction in methane emissions has only been determined for a limited number of production scenarios. The objective of this study was to develop an optimization framework for the joint minimization of dietary costs and methane emissions based on the identification of a set of feasible solutions for various levels of trade-off between emissions and costs. Such a set of solutions was created by the specification of a systematic grid of goal programming weights, enabling the decision maker to choose the solution that achieves the desired trade-off level. Moreover, the model enables the calculation of emission-mitigation costs imputing a trading value for methane emissions. Emission imputed costs can be used in emission-unit trading schemes, such as cap-and-trade policy designs. An application of the model using data from lactating cows from dairies in the California Central Valley is presented to illustrate the use of model-generated results in the identification of optimal diets when reducing emissions. The optimization framework is flexible and can be adapted to jointly minimize diet costs and other potential environmental impacts (e.g., nitrogen excretion). It is also flexible so that dietary costs, feed nutrient composition, and animal nutrient requirements can be altered to accommodate various production systems. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Provably Secure RFID Authentication Protocol Based on Elliptic Curve for Healthcare Environments.

PubMed

Farash, Mohammad Sabzinejad; Nawaz, Omer; Mahmood, Khalid; Chaudhry, Shehzad Ashraf; Khan, Muhammad Khurram

2016-07-01

To enhance the quality of healthcare in the management of chronic disease, telecare medical information systems have increasingly been used. Very recently, Zhang and Qi (J. Med. Syst. 38(5):47, 32), and Zhao (J. Med. Syst. 38(5):46, 33) separately proposed two authentication schemes for telecare medical information systems using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. They claimed that their protocols achieve all security requirements including forward secrecy. However, this paper demonstrates that both Zhang and Qi's scheme, and Zhao's scheme could not provide forward secrecy. To augment the security, we propose an efficient RFID authentication scheme using elliptic curves for healthcare environments. The proposed RFID scheme is secure under common random oracle model.

Targeted ENO schemes with tailored resolution property for hyperbolic conservation laws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Lin; Hu, Xiangyu Y.; Adams, Nikolaus A.

2017-11-01

In this paper, we extend the range of targeted ENO (TENO) schemes (Fu et al. (2016) [18]) by proposing an eighth-order TENO8 scheme. A general formulation to construct the high-order undivided difference τK within the weighting strategy is proposed. With the underlying scale-separation strategy, sixth-order accuracy for τK in the smooth solution regions is designed for good performance and robustness. Furthermore, a unified framework to optimize independently the dispersion and dissipation properties of high-order finite-difference schemes is proposed. The new framework enables tailoring of dispersion and dissipation as function of wavenumber. The optimal linear scheme has minimum dispersion error and a dissipation error that satisfies a dispersion-dissipation relation. Employing the optimal linear scheme, a sixth-order TENO8-opt scheme is constructed. A set of benchmark cases involving strong discontinuities and broadband fluctuations is computed to demonstrate the high-resolution properties of the new schemes.

A user anonymity preserving three-factor authentication scheme for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Tan, Zuowen

2014-03-01

The telecare medicine information system enables the patients gain health monitoring at home and access medical services over internet or mobile networks. In recent years, the schemes based on cryptography have been proposed to address the security and privacy issues in the telecare medicine information systems. However, many schemes are insecure or they have low efficiency. Recently, Awasthi and Srivastava proposed a three-factor authentication scheme for telecare medicine information systems. In this paper, we show that their scheme is vulnerable to the reflection attacks. Furthermore, it fails to provide three-factor security and the user anonymity. We propose a new three-factor authentication scheme for the telecare medicine information systems. Detailed analysis demonstrates that the proposed scheme provides mutual authentication, server not knowing password and freedom of password, biometric update and three-factor security. Moreover, the new scheme provides the user anonymity. As compared with the previous three-factor authentication schemes, the proposed scheme is more secure and practical.

A Secure ECC-based RFID Mutual Authentication Protocol to Enhance Patient Medication Safety.

PubMed

Jin, Chunhua; Xu, Chunxiang; Zhang, Xiaojun; Li, Fagen

2016-01-01

Patient medication safety is an important issue in patient medication systems. In order to prevent medication errors, integrating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology into automated patient medication systems is required in hospitals. Based on RFID technology, such systems can provide medical evidence for patients' prescriptions and medicine doses, etc. Due to the mutual authentication between the medication server and the tag, RFID authentication scheme is the best choice for automated patient medication systems. In this paper, we present a RFID mutual authentication scheme based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) to enhance patient medication safety. Our scheme can achieve security requirements and overcome various attacks existing in other schemes. In addition, our scheme has better performance in terms of computational cost and communication overhead. Therefore, the proposed scheme is well suitable for patient medication systems.

Resource Optimization Scheme for Multimedia-Enabled Wireless Mesh Networks

PubMed Central

Ali, Amjad; Ahmed, Muhammad Ejaz; Piran, Md. Jalil; Suh, Doug Young

2014-01-01

Wireless mesh networking is a promising technology that can support numerous multimedia applications. Multimedia applications have stringent quality of service (QoS) requirements, i.e., bandwidth, delay, jitter, and packet loss ratio. Enabling such QoS-demanding applications over wireless mesh networks (WMNs) require QoS provisioning routing protocols that lead to the network resource underutilization problem. Moreover, random topology deployment leads to have some unused network resources. Therefore, resource optimization is one of the most critical design issues in multi-hop, multi-radio WMNs enabled with multimedia applications. Resource optimization has been studied extensively in the literature for wireless Ad Hoc and sensor networks, but existing studies have not considered resource underutilization issues caused by QoS provisioning routing and random topology deployment. Finding a QoS-provisioned path in wireless mesh networks is an NP complete problem. In this paper, we propose a novel Integer Linear Programming (ILP) optimization model to reconstruct the optimal connected mesh backbone topology with a minimum number of links and relay nodes which satisfies the given end-to-end QoS demands for multimedia traffic and identification of extra resources, while maintaining redundancy. We further propose a polynomial time heuristic algorithm called Link and Node Removal Considering Residual Capacity and Traffic Demands (LNR-RCTD). Simulation studies prove that our heuristic algorithm provides near-optimal results and saves about 20% of resources from being wasted by QoS provisioning routing and random topology deployment. PMID:25111241

Resource optimization scheme for multimedia-enabled wireless mesh networks.

PubMed

Ali, Amjad; Ahmed, Muhammad Ejaz; Piran, Md Jalil; Suh, Doug Young

2014-08-08

Wireless mesh networking is a promising technology that can support numerous multimedia applications. Multimedia applications have stringent quality of service (QoS) requirements, i.e., bandwidth, delay, jitter, and packet loss ratio. Enabling such QoS-demanding applications over wireless mesh networks (WMNs) require QoS provisioning routing protocols that lead to the network resource underutilization problem. Moreover, random topology deployment leads to have some unused network resources. Therefore, resource optimization is one of the most critical design issues in multi-hop, multi-radio WMNs enabled with multimedia applications. Resource optimization has been studied extensively in the literature for wireless Ad Hoc and sensor networks, but existing studies have not considered resource underutilization issues caused by QoS provisioning routing and random topology deployment. Finding a QoS-provisioned path in wireless mesh networks is an NP complete problem. In this paper, we propose a novel Integer Linear Programming (ILP) optimization model to reconstruct the optimal connected mesh backbone topology with a minimum number of links and relay nodes which satisfies the given end-to-end QoS demands for multimedia traffic and identification of extra resources, while maintaining redundancy. We further propose a polynomial time heuristic algorithm called Link and Node Removal Considering Residual Capacity and Traffic Demands (LNR-RCTD). Simulation studies prove that our heuristic algorithm provides near-optimal results and saves about 20% of resources from being wasted by QoS provisioning routing and random topology deployment.

Study for new hardmask process scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Daeyoup; Tatti, Phillip; Lee, Richard; Chang, Jack; Cho, Winston; Bae, Sanggil

2017-03-01

Hardmask processes are a key technique to enable low-k semiconductors, but they can have an impact on patterning control, influencing defectivity, alignment, and overlay. Specifically, amorphous carbon layer (ACL) hardmask schemes can negatively affect overlay by creating distorted alignment signals. A new scheme needs to be developed that can be inserted where amorphous carbon is used but provide better alignment performance. Typical spin-on carbon (SOC) materials used in other hardmask schemes have issues with DCD-FCD skew. In this paper we will evaluate new spin-on carbon material with a higher carbon content that could be a candidate to replace amorphous carbon.

Arbitrated Quantum Signature with Hamiltonian Algorithm Based on Blind Quantum Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Ronghua; Ding, Wanting; Shi, Jinjing

2018-03-01

A novel arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) scheme is proposed motivated by the Hamiltonian algorithm (HA) and blind quantum computation (BQC). The generation and verification of signature algorithm is designed based on HA, which enables the scheme to rely less on computational complexity. It is unnecessary to recover original messages when verifying signatures since the blind quantum computation is applied, which can improve the simplicity and operability of our scheme. It is proved that the scheme can be deployed securely, and the extended AQS has some extensive applications in E-payment system, E-government, E-business, etc.

Arbitrated Quantum Signature with Hamiltonian Algorithm Based on Blind Quantum Computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Ronghua; Ding, Wanting; Shi, Jinjing

2018-07-01

A novel arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) scheme is proposed motivated by the Hamiltonian algorithm (HA) and blind quantum computation (BQC). The generation and verification of signature algorithm is designed based on HA, which enables the scheme to rely less on computational complexity. It is unnecessary to recover original messages when verifying signatures since the blind quantum computation is applied, which can improve the simplicity and operability of our scheme. It is proved that the scheme can be deployed securely, and the extended AQS has some extensive applications in E-payment system, E-government, E-business, etc.

Fault Detection for Automotive Shock Absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez-Alcantara, Diana; Morales-Menendez, Ruben; Amezquita-Brooks, Luis

2015-11-01

Fault detection for automotive semi-active shock absorbers is a challenge due to the non-linear dynamics and the strong influence of the disturbances such as the road profile. First obstacle for this task, is the modeling of the fault, which has been shown to be of multiplicative nature. Many of the most widespread fault detection schemes consider additive faults. Two model-based fault algorithms for semiactive shock absorber are compared: an observer-based approach and a parameter identification approach. The performance of these schemes is validated and compared using a commercial vehicle model that was experimentally validated. Early results shows that a parameter identification approach is more accurate, whereas an observer-based approach is less sensible to parametric uncertainty.

[Differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus isolates based on phenotypical characters].

PubMed

Miedzobrodzki, Jacek; Małachowa, Natalia; Markiewski, Tomasz; Białecka, Anna; Kasprowicz, Andrzej

2008-06-30

Typing of Staphylococcus aureus isolates is a necessary procedure for monitoring the transmission of S. aureus among carriers and in epidemiology. Evaluation of the range of relationship among isolates rely on epidemiological markers and is possible because of the clonal character of S. aureus species. Effective typing shows the scheme of transmission of infection in a selected area, enables identifying the reservoir of the microorganism, and may enhance effective eradication. A set of typing methods for use in analyses of epidemiological correlations and the identification of S. aureus isolates is presented. The following methods of typing are described: biotyping, serotyping, antibiogram, protein electrophoresis, cell protein profiles (proteom), immunoblotting, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE), zymotyping, and standard species identification of S. aureus in the diagnostic laboratory. Phenotyping methods for S. aureus isolates used in the past and today in epidemiological investigations and in analyses of correlations among S. aureus isolates are presented in this review. The presented methods use morphological characteristics, physiological properties, and chemical structures of the bacteria as criteria for typing. The precision of these standard methods is not always satisfactory as S. aureus strains with atypical biochemical characters have evolved recently. Therefore it is essential to introduce additional typing procedures using molecular biology methods without neglecting phenotypic methods.

DeMix Workflow for Efficient Identification of Cofragmented Peptides in High Resolution Data-dependent Tandem Mass Spectrometry*

PubMed Central

Zhang, Bo; Pirmoradian, Mohammad; Chernobrovkin, Alexey; Zubarev, Roman A.

2014-01-01

Based on conventional data-dependent acquisition strategy of shotgun proteomics, we present a new workflow DeMix, which significantly increases the efficiency of peptide identification for in-depth shotgun analysis of complex proteomes. Capitalizing on the high resolution and mass accuracy of Orbitrap-based tandem mass spectrometry, we developed a simple deconvolution method of “cloning” chimeric tandem spectra for cofragmented peptides. Additional to a database search, a simple rescoring scheme utilizes mass accuracy and converts the unwanted cofragmenting events into a surprising advantage of multiplexing. With the combination of cloning and rescoring, we obtained on average nine peptide-spectrum matches per second on a Q-Exactive workbench, whereas the actual MS/MS acquisition rate was close to seven spectra per second. This efficiency boost to 1.24 identified peptides per MS/MS spectrum enabled analysis of over 5000 human proteins in single-dimensional LC-MS/MS shotgun experiments with an only two-hour gradient. These findings suggest a change in the dominant “one MS/MS spectrum - one peptide” paradigm for data acquisition and analysis in shotgun data-dependent proteomics. DeMix also demonstrated higher robustness than conventional approaches in terms of lower variation among the results of consecutive LC-MS/MS runs. PMID:25100859

On the security of consumer wearable devices in the Internet of Things.

PubMed

Tahir, Hasan; Tahir, Ruhma; McDonald-Maier, Klaus

2018-01-01

Miniaturization of computer hardware and the demand for network capable devices has resulted in the emergence of a new class of technology called wearable computing. Wearable devices have many purposes like lifestyle support, health monitoring, fitness monitoring, entertainment, industrial uses, and gaming. Wearable devices are hurriedly being marketed in an attempt to capture an emerging market. Owing to this, some devices do not adequately address the need for security. To enable virtualization and connectivity wearable devices sense and transmit data, therefore it is essential that the device, its data and the user are protected. In this paper the use of novel Integrated Circuit Metric (ICMetric) technology for the provision of security in wearable devices has been suggested. ICMetric technology uses the features of a device to generate an identification which is then used for the provision of cryptographic services. This paper explores how a device ICMetric can be generated by using the accelerometer and gyroscope sensor. Since wearable devices often operate in a group setting the work also focuses on generating a group identification which is then used to deliver services like authentication, confidentiality, secure admission and symmetric key generation. Experiment and simulation results prove that the scheme offers high levels of security without compromising on resource demands.

On the security of consumer wearable devices in the Internet of Things

PubMed Central

Tahir, Hasan; Tahir, Ruhma; McDonald-Maier, Klaus

2018-01-01

Miniaturization of computer hardware and the demand for network capable devices has resulted in the emergence of a new class of technology called wearable computing. Wearable devices have many purposes like lifestyle support, health monitoring, fitness monitoring, entertainment, industrial uses, and gaming. Wearable devices are hurriedly being marketed in an attempt to capture an emerging market. Owing to this, some devices do not adequately address the need for security. To enable virtualization and connectivity wearable devices sense and transmit data, therefore it is essential that the device, its data and the user are protected. In this paper the use of novel Integrated Circuit Metric (ICMetric) technology for the provision of security in wearable devices has been suggested. ICMetric technology uses the features of a device to generate an identification which is then used for the provision of cryptographic services. This paper explores how a device ICMetric can be generated by using the accelerometer and gyroscope sensor. Since wearable devices often operate in a group setting the work also focuses on generating a group identification which is then used to deliver services like authentication, confidentiality, secure admission and symmetric key generation. Experiment and simulation results prove that the scheme offers high levels of security without compromising on resource demands. PMID:29668756

Identification of resources and skills developed by partners of patients with advanced colon cancer: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Meunier-Beillard, N; Ponthier, N; Lepage, C; Gagnaire, A; Gheringuelli, F; Bengrine, L; Boudrant, A; Rambach, L; Quipourt, V; Devilliers, H; Lejeune, Catherine

2018-06-05

Family caregivers play an important role in caring for patients with advanced cancer. To become competent, individuals must draw on and mobilise an adequate combination of resources. Our goal was to identify the skills developed by caregivers of patients with advanced cancer and the associated resources mobilised. We chose to do it with partners of patients with colon cancer. The study used a cross-sectional qualitative design based on 20 individual interviews and a focus group. Partners were recruited from patients treated in three hospitals of France. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Each interview was transcribed verbatim, and thematic analyses were performed to extract significant themes and subthemes. Results from the individual and focus group interviews showed that the skills implemented by the partners (in domains of social relationships and health, domestic, organisational, emotional and well-being dimensions) were singular constructs, dependant on if resources (personal, external and schemes) may have been missing and insufficient. In addition, partners may have had these resources but not mobilised them. The identification of the skills and associated resources could allow healthcare professionals better identifying and understanding of the difficulties met by partners in taking care of patients. This could enable them to offer appropriate support to help the caregivers in their accompaniment.

Developments of new force reflecting control schemes and an application to a teleoperation training simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Won S.

1992-01-01

Two schemes of force reflecting control, position-error based force reflection and low-pass-filtered force reflection, both combined with shared compliance control, were developed for dissimilar master-slave arms. These schemes enabled high force reflection gains, which were not possible with a conventional scheme when the slave arm was much stiffer than the master arm. The experimental results with a peg-in-hole task indicated that the newly force reflecting control schemes combined with compliance control resulted in best task performances. As a related application, a simulated force reflection/shared compliance control teleoperation trainer was developed that provided the operator with the feel of kinesthetic force virtual reality.

High-Order Energy Stable WENO Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamaleev, Nail K.; Carpenter, Mark H.

2009-01-01

A third-order Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (ESWENO) finite difference scheme developed by Yamaleev and Carpenter was proven to be stable in the energy norm for both continuous and discontinuous solutions of systems of linear hyperbolic equations. Herein, a systematic approach is presented that enables 'energy stable' modifications for existing WENO schemes of any order. The technique is demonstrated by developing a one-parameter family of fifth-order upwind-biased ESWENO schemes; ESWENO schemes up to eighth order are presented in the appendix. New weight functions are also developed that provide (1) formal consistency, (2) much faster convergence for smooth solutions with an arbitrary number of vanishing derivatives, and (3) improved resolution near strong discontinuities.

An Interactive Multimedia Learning Environment for VLSI Built with COSMOS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angelides, Marios C.; Agius, Harry W.

2002-01-01

This paper presents Bigger Bits, an interactive multimedia learning environment that teaches students about VLSI within the context of computer electronics. The system was built with COSMOS (Content Oriented semantic Modelling Overlay Scheme), which is a modelling scheme that we developed for enabling the semantic content of multimedia to be used…

Designing Targeted Educational Voucher Schemes for the Poor in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafiq, M. Najeeb

2010-01-01

A targeted educational voucher scheme (TEVS) is often proposed for the poor in developing countries. Essentially, TEVS involves issuing vouchers to poor households, thus enabling them to pay tuition and fees for their children's schooling at participating non-public schools. However, little is known about TEVS' design in developing countries. This…

MPNACK: an optical switching scheme enabling the buffer-less reliable transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xiaoshan; Gu, Huaxi; Wang, Kun; Xu, Meng; Guo, Yantao

2016-01-01

Optical data center networks are becoming an increasingly promising solution to solve the bottlenecks faced by electrical networks, such as low transmission bandwidth, high wiring complexity, and unaffordable power consumption. However, the optical circuit switching (OCS) network is not flexible enough to carry the traffic burst while the optical packet switching (OPS) network cannot solve the packet contention in an efficient way. To this end, an improved switching strategy named OPS with multi-hop Negative Acknowledgement (MPNACK) is proposed. This scheme uses a feedback mechanism, rather than the buffering structure, to handle the optical packet contention. The collided packet is treated as a NACK packet and sent back to the source server. When the sender receives this NACK packet, it knows a collision happens in the transmission path and a retransmission procedure is triggered. Overall, the OPS-NACK scheme enables a reliable transmission in the buffer-less optical network. Furthermore, with this scheme, the expensive and energy-hungry elements, optical or electrical buffers, can be removed from the optical interconnects, thus a more scalable and cost-efficient network can be constructed for cloud computing data centers.

Centrifuge: rapid and sensitive classification of metagenomic sequences

PubMed Central

Song, Li; Breitwieser, Florian P.

2016-01-01

Centrifuge is a novel microbial classification engine that enables rapid, accurate, and sensitive labeling of reads and quantification of species on desktop computers. The system uses an indexing scheme based on the Burrows-Wheeler transform (BWT) and the Ferragina-Manzini (FM) index, optimized specifically for the metagenomic classification problem. Centrifuge requires a relatively small index (4.2 GB for 4078 bacterial and 200 archaeal genomes) and classifies sequences at very high speed, allowing it to process the millions of reads from a typical high-throughput DNA sequencing run within a few minutes. Together, these advances enable timely and accurate analysis of large metagenomics data sets on conventional desktop computers. Because of its space-optimized indexing schemes, Centrifuge also makes it possible to index the entire NCBI nonredundant nucleotide sequence database (a total of 109 billion bases) with an index size of 69 GB, in contrast to k-mer-based indexing schemes, which require far more extensive space. PMID:27852649

Open-ended recursive calculation of single residues of response functions for perturbation-dependent basis sets.

PubMed

Friese, Daniel H; Ringholm, Magnus; Gao, Bin; Ruud, Kenneth

2015-10-13

We present theory, implementation, and applications of a recursive scheme for the calculation of single residues of response functions that can treat perturbations that affect the basis set. This scheme enables the calculation of nonlinear light absorption properties to arbitrary order for other perturbations than an electric field. We apply this scheme for the first treatment of two-photon circular dichroism (TPCD) using London orbitals at the Hartree-Fock level of theory. In general, TPCD calculations suffer from the problem of origin dependence, which has so far been solved by using the velocity gauge for the electric dipole operator. This work now enables comparison of results from London orbital and velocity gauge based TPCD calculations. We find that the results from the two approaches both exhibit strong basis set dependence but that they are very similar with respect to their basis set convergence.

A Bookmarking Service for Organizing and Sharing URLs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.; Wolfe, Shawn R.; Chen, James R.; Mathe, Nathalie; Rabinowitz, Joshua L.

1997-01-01

Web browser bookmarking facilities predominate as the method of choice for managing URLs. In this paper, we describe some deficiencies of current bookmarking schemes, and examine an alternative to current approaches. We present WebTagger(TM), an implemented prototype of a personal bookmarking service that provides both individuals and groups with a customizable means of organizing and accessing Web-based information resources. In addition, the service enables users to supply feedback on the utility of these resources relative to their information needs, and provides dynamically-updated ranking of resources based on incremental user feedback. Individuals may access the service from anywhere on the Internet, and require no special software. This service greatly simplifies the process of sharing URLs within groups, in comparison with manual methods involving email. The underlying bookmark organization scheme is more natural and flexible than current hierarchical schemes supported by the major Web browsers, and enables rapid access to stored bookmarks.

An Improvement of Robust Biometrics-Based Authentication and Key Agreement Scheme for Multi-Server Environments Using Smart Cards.

PubMed

Moon, Jongho; Choi, Younsung; Jung, Jaewook; Won, Dongho

2015-01-01

In multi-server environments, user authentication is a very important issue because it provides the authorization that enables users to access their data and services; furthermore, remote user authentication schemes for multi-server environments have solved the problem that has arisen from user's management of different identities and passwords. For this reason, numerous user authentication schemes that are designed for multi-server environments have been proposed over recent years. In 2015, Lu et al. improved upon Mishra et al.'s scheme, claiming that their remote user authentication scheme is more secure and practical; however, we found that Lu et al.'s scheme is still insecure and incorrect. In this paper, we demonstrate that Lu et al.'s scheme is vulnerable to outsider attack and user impersonation attack, and we propose a new biometrics-based scheme for authentication and key agreement that can be used in multi-server environments; then, we show that our proposed scheme is more secure and supports the required security properties.

An efficient chaotic maps-based authentication and key agreement scheme using smartcards for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Lee, Tian-Fu

2013-12-01

A smartcard-based authentication and key agreement scheme for telecare medicine information systems enables patients, doctors, nurses and health visitors to use smartcards for secure login to medical information systems. Authorized users can then efficiently access remote services provided by the medicine information systems through public networks. Guo and Chang recently improved the efficiency of a smartcard authentication and key agreement scheme by using chaotic maps. Later, Hao et al. reported that the scheme developed by Guo and Chang had two weaknesses: inability to provide anonymity and inefficient double secrets. Therefore, Hao et al. proposed an authentication scheme for telecare medicine information systems that solved these weaknesses and improved performance. However, a limitation in both schemes is their violation of the contributory property of key agreements. This investigation discusses these weaknesses and proposes a new smartcard-based authentication and key agreement scheme that uses chaotic maps for telecare medicine information systems. Compared to conventional schemes, the proposed scheme provides fewer weaknesses, better security, and more efficiency.

Dust devil characteristics and associated dust entrainment based on large-eddy simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, Martina; Kwidzinski, Nick; Shao, Yaping

2015-04-01

The characteristics of dust devils, such as occurrence frequency, lifetime, size, and intensity, are usually inferred from in situ field measurements and remote sensing. Numerical models, e.g. large-eddy simulation (LES) models, have also been established as a tool to investigate dust devils and their structures. However, most LES models do not contain a dust module. Here, we present results from simulations using the WRF-LES model coupled to the convective turbulent dust emission (CTDE) scheme of Klose et al. (2014). The scheme describes the stochastic process of aerodynamic dust entrainment in the absence of saltation. It therefore allows for dust emission even below the threshold friction velocity for saltation. Numerical experiments have been conducted for different atmospheric stability and background wind conditions at 10 m horizontal resolution. A dust devil tracking algorithm is used to identify dust devils in the simulation results. The detected dust devils are statistically analyzed with regard to e.g. radius, pressure drop, lifetime, and turbulent wind speeds. An additional simulation with higher horizontal resolution (2 m) is conducted for conditions, which are especially favorable for dust devil development, i.e. unstable atmospheric stratification and weak mean winds. The higher resolution enables the identification of smaller dust devils and a more detailed structure analysis. Dust emission fluxes, dust concentrations, and dust mass budgets are calculated from the simulations. The results are compared to field observations reported in literature.

Dispersion-based Fresh-slice Scheme for Free-Electron Lasers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guetg, Marc

The Fresh-slice technique improved the performance of several Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission Free-Electron laser schemes by granting selective control on the temporal lasing slice without spoiling the other electron bunch slices. So far, the implementation required a special insertion device to create the beam yaw, called dechirper. We demonstrate a novel scheme to enable Freshslice operation based on electron energy chirp and orbit dispersion that can be implemented at any free-electron laser facility without additional hardware.

An interactive ocean surface albedo scheme (OSAv1.0): formulation and evaluation in ARPEGE-Climat (V6.1) and LMDZ (V5A)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Séférian, Roland; Baek, Sunghye; Boucher, Olivier; Dufresne, Jean-Louis; Decharme, Bertrand; Saint-Martin, David; Roehrig, Romain

2018-01-01

Ocean surface represents roughly 70 % of the Earth's surface, playing a large role in the partitioning of the energy flow within the climate system. The ocean surface albedo (OSA) is an important parameter in this partitioning because it governs the amount of energy penetrating into the ocean or reflected towards space. The old OSA schemes in the ARPEGE-Climat and LMDZ models only resolve the latitudinal dependence in an ad hoc way without an accurate representation of the solar zenith angle dependence. Here, we propose a new interactive OSA scheme suited for Earth system models, which enables coupling between Earth system model components like surface ocean waves and marine biogeochemistry. This scheme resolves spectrally the various contributions of the surface for direct and diffuse solar radiation. The implementation of this scheme in two Earth system models leads to substantial improvements in simulated OSA. At the local scale, models using the interactive OSA scheme better replicate the day-to-day distribution of OSA derived from ground-based observations in contrast to old schemes. At global scale, the improved representation of OSA for diffuse radiation reduces model biases by up to 80 % over the tropical oceans, reducing annual-mean model-data error in surface upwelling shortwave radiation by up to 7 W m-2 over this domain. The spatial correlation coefficient between modeled and observed OSA at monthly resolution has been increased from 0.1 to 0.8. Despite its complexity, this interactive OSA scheme is computationally efficient for enabling precise OSA calculation without penalizing the elapsed model time.

Matroids and quantum-secret-sharing schemes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarvepalli, Pradeep; Raussendorf, Robert

A secret-sharing scheme is a cryptographic protocol to distribute a secret state in an encoded form among a group of players such that only authorized subsets of the players can reconstruct the secret. Classically, efficient secret-sharing schemes have been shown to be induced by matroids. Furthermore, access structures of such schemes can be characterized by an excluded minor relation. No such relations are known for quantum secret-sharing schemes. In this paper we take the first steps toward a matroidal characterization of quantum-secret-sharing schemes. In addition to providing a new perspective on quantum-secret-sharing schemes, this characterization has important benefits. While previousmore » work has shown how to construct quantum-secret-sharing schemes for general access structures, these schemes are not claimed to be efficient. In this context the present results prove to be useful; they enable us to construct efficient quantum-secret-sharing schemes for many general access structures. More precisely, we show that an identically self-dual matroid that is representable over a finite field induces a pure-state quantum-secret-sharing scheme with information rate 1.« less

Understanding security failures of two authentication and key agreement schemes for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Mishra, Dheerendra

2015-03-01

Smart card based authentication and key agreement schemes for telecare medicine information systems (TMIS) enable doctors, nurses, patients and health visitors to use smart cards for secure login to medical information systems. In recent years, several authentication and key agreement schemes have been proposed to present secure and efficient solution for TMIS. Most of the existing authentication schemes for TMIS have either higher computation overhead or are vulnerable to attacks. To reduce the computational overhead and enhance the security, Lee recently proposed an authentication and key agreement scheme using chaotic maps for TMIS. Xu et al. also proposed a password based authentication and key agreement scheme for TMIS using elliptic curve cryptography. Both the schemes provide better efficiency from the conventional public key cryptography based schemes. These schemes are important as they present an efficient solution for TMIS. We analyze the security of both Lee's scheme and Xu et al.'s schemes. Unfortunately, we identify that both the schemes are vulnerable to denial of service attack. To understand the security failures of these cryptographic schemes which are the key of patching existing schemes and designing future schemes, we demonstrate the security loopholes of Lee's scheme and Xu et al.'s scheme in this paper.

A User Authentication Scheme Based on Elliptic Curves Cryptography for Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

PubMed Central

Chen, Huifang; Ge, Linlin; Xie, Lei

2015-01-01

The feature of non-infrastructure support in a wireless ad hoc network (WANET) makes it suffer from various attacks. Moreover, user authentication is the first safety barrier in a network. A mutual trust is achieved by a protocol which enables communicating parties to authenticate each other at the same time and to exchange session keys. For the resource-constrained WANET, an efficient and lightweight user authentication scheme is necessary. In this paper, we propose a user authentication scheme based on the self-certified public key system and elliptic curves cryptography for a WANET. Using the proposed scheme, an efficient two-way user authentication and secure session key agreement can be achieved. Security analysis shows that our proposed scheme is resilient to common known attacks. In addition, the performance analysis shows that our proposed scheme performs similar or better compared with some existing user authentication schemes. PMID:26184224

A User Authentication Scheme Based on Elliptic Curves Cryptography for Wireless Ad Hoc Networks.

PubMed

Chen, Huifang; Ge, Linlin; Xie, Lei

2015-07-14

The feature of non-infrastructure support in a wireless ad hoc network (WANET) makes it suffer from various attacks. Moreover, user authentication is the first safety barrier in a network. A mutual trust is achieved by a protocol which enables communicating parties to authenticate each other at the same time and to exchange session keys. For the resource-constrained WANET, an efficient and lightweight user authentication scheme is necessary. In this paper, we propose a user authentication scheme based on the self-certified public key system and elliptic curves cryptography for a WANET. Using the proposed scheme, an efficient two-way user authentication and secure session key agreement can be achieved. Security analysis shows that our proposed scheme is resilient to common known attacks. In addition, the performance analysis shows that our proposed scheme performs similar or better compared with some existing user authentication schemes.

Efficient biometric authenticated key agreements based on extended chaotic maps for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Lou, Der-Chyuan; Lee, Tian-Fu; Lin, Tsung-Hung

2015-05-01

Authenticated key agreements for telecare medicine information systems provide patients, doctors, nurses and health visitors with accessing medical information systems and getting remote services efficiently and conveniently through an open network. In order to have higher security, many authenticated key agreement schemes appended biometric keys to realize identification except for using passwords and smartcards. Due to too many transmissions and computational costs, these authenticated key agreement schemes are inefficient in communication and computation. This investigation develops two secure and efficient authenticated key agreement schemes for telecare medicine information systems by using biometric key and extended chaotic maps. One scheme is synchronization-based, while the other nonce-based. Compared to related approaches, the proposed schemes not only retain the same security properties with previous schemes, but also provide users with privacy protection and have fewer transmissions and lower computational cost.

Towards a framework of nuclear competencies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghitescu, P.

For the countries considering the introduction of a nuclear energy program, the management of human resources should be a part of the wider integrated management system in order to ensure long term safe and reliable operation. Nuclear energy strategy and approaches to human resources development should take into consideration such fundamental aspects as: development and implementation of a workforce plan, required competencies and qualifications, prerequisites for staffing a nuclear energy program, needed training programs and training facilities, qualification and training requirements. Development of common instruments that respond to the above needs and vision has lead to a new concept ofmore » European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training. The European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) is based on definition of 'learning outcomes ' in terms of knowledge, skills and competence, and on identification of portfolios of learning outcomes that allow an individual to prove competencies in a coherent manner. ECVET proposes a common understanding of basic definitions of education and training as well as of the new proposed concepts and it should be recognized by all employers in the EU. In this context, a number of 'Euratom Fission Training Schemes' (EFTS) have been launched in specific areas where a shortage of skilled professionals has been identified. In these schemes the competence building is the result of traditional education plus life-long learning, non-traditional learning, and other forms of educational experiences, relying, in particular, on border-less mobility to get acquainted with various sectors. Each particular Training Scheme should follow a similar path for the achievement of the designed learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, and attitudes). This path to the Training Scheme consists of different activities regarding: definition of training scheme learning outcomes and modules, assessment of prerequisites and student selection, student interview for development of individual training plan, start of the training activities under a specific training scheme. The introduction and recognition of ECVET will lead to a common taxonomy of competencies, and will provide also information about qualifications and units in numerical form, enabling mutual recognition of a training scheme. The description of the learning outcomes to be achieved for qualifying to a specific job profile may follow the analysis phase of the systematic approach to training (SAT). This would ensure a common tool, already used by all trainers. All these steps contribute to establishing of a framework of nuclear competencies recognized and accepted throughout member states. (authors)« less

A Systematic Methodology for Constructing High-Order Energy-Stable WENO Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamaleev, Nail K.; Carpenter, Mark H.

2008-01-01

A third-order Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (ESWENO) finite difference scheme developed by Yamaleev and Carpenter (AIAA 2008-2876, 2008) was proven to be stable in the energy norm for both continuous and discontinuous solutions of systems of linear hyperbolic equations. Herein, a systematic approach is presented that enables \\energy stable" modifications for existing WENO schemes of any order. The technique is demonstrated by developing a one-parameter family of fifth-order upwind-biased ESWENO schemes; ESWENO schemes up to eighth order are presented in the appendix. New weight functions are also developed that provide (1) formal consistency, (2) much faster convergence for smooth solutions with an arbitrary number of vanishing derivatives, and (3) improved resolution near strong discontinuities.

A Systematic Methodology for Constructing High-Order Energy Stable WENO Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamaleev, Nail K.; Carpenter, Mark H.

2009-01-01

A third-order Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non{Oscillatory (ESWENO) finite difference scheme developed by Yamaleev and Carpenter [1] was proven to be stable in the energy norm for both continuous and discontinuous solutions of systems of linear hyperbolic equations. Herein, a systematic approach is presented that enables "energy stable" modifications for existing WENO schemes of any order. The technique is demonstrated by developing a one-parameter family of fifth-order upwind-biased ESWENO schemes; ESWENO schemes up to eighth order are presented in the appendix. New weight functions are also developed that provide (1) formal consistency, (2) much faster convergence for smooth solutions with an arbitrary number of vanishing derivatives, and (3) improved resolution near strong discontinuities.

Quantum secret sharing using the d-dimensional GHZ state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Chen-Ming; Li, Zhi-Hui; Xu, Ting-Ting; Li, Yong-Ming

2017-03-01

We propose a quantum secret sharing scheme that uses an orthogonal pair of n-qudit GHZ states and local distinguishability. In the proposed protocol, the participants use an X-basis measurement and classical communication to distinguish between the two orthogonal states and reconstruct the original secret. We also present (2, n)-threshold and generalized restricted (2, n)-threshold schemes that enable any two cooperating players from two disjoint groups to always reconstruct the secret. Compared to the existing scheme by Rahaman and Parker (Phys Rev A 91:022330, 2015), the proposed scheme is more general and the access structure contains more authorized sets.

An evaluation of several different classification schemes - Their parameters and performance. [maximum likelihood decision for crop identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scholz, D.; Fuhs, N.; Hixson, M.

1979-01-01

The overall objective of this study was to apply and evaluate several of the currently available classification schemes for crop identification. The approaches examined were: (1) a per point Gaussian maximum likelihood classifier, (2) a per point sum of normal densities classifier, (3) a per point linear classifier, (4) a per point Gaussian maximum likelihood decision tree classifier, and (5) a texture sensitive per field Gaussian maximum likelihood classifier. Three agricultural data sets were used in the study: areas from Fayette County, Illinois, and Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties in Iowa. The segments were located in two distinct regions of the Corn Belt to sample variability in soils, climate, and agricultural practices.

Forensic determination of ricin and the alkaloid marker ricinine from castor bean extracts.

PubMed

Darby, S M; Miller, M L; Allen, R O

2001-09-01

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/ MS) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) MS methods were developed for the presumptive identification of ricin toxin and the alkaloid marker ricinine from crude plant materials. Ricin is an extremely potent poison, which is of forensic interest due to its appearance in terrorism literature and its potential for use as a homicide agent. Difficulties arise in attempting to analyze ricin because it is a large heterogeneous protein with glycosylation. The general protein identification scheme developed uses LC/MS or MALDI-TOF for size classification followed by the use of the same instrumentation for the analysis of the tryptic digest. Fragments of the digest can be searched in an online database for tentative identification of the unknown protein and then followed by comparison to authentic reference materials. LC fractionation or molecular weight cutoff filtration was used for preparation of the intact toxin before analysis. Extracts from two types of castor beans were prepared using a terrorist handbook procedure and determined to contain 1% ricin. Additionally, a forensic sample suspected to contain ricin was analyzed using the presented identification scheme (data not shown). The identification of the alkaloid ricinine by GC/MS and LC/MS was shown to be a complementary technique for the determination of castor bean extracts.

Locations and focal mechanisms of deep long period events beneath Aleutian Arc volcanoes using back projection methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lough, A. C.; Roman, D. C.; Haney, M. M.

2015-12-01

Deep long period (DLP) earthquakes are commonly observed in volcanic settings such as the Aleutian Arc in Alaska. DLPs are poorly understood but are thought to be associated with movements of fluids, such as magma or hydrothermal fluids, deep in the volcanic plumbing system. These events have been recognized for several decades but few studies have gone beyond their identification and location. All long period events are more difficult to identify and locate than volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes because traditional detection schemes focus on high frequency (short period) energy. In addition, DLPs present analytical challenges because they tend to be emergent and so it is difficult to accurately pick the onset of arriving body waves. We now expect to find DLPs at most volcanic centers, the challenge lies in identification and location. We aim to reduce the element of human error in location by applying back projection to better constrain the depth and horizontal position of these events. Power et al. (2004) provided the first compilation of DLP activity in the Aleutian Arc. This study focuses on the reanalysis of 162 cataloged DLPs beneath 11 volcanoes in the Aleutian arc (we expect to ultimately identify and reanalyze more DLPs). We are currently adapting the approach of Haney (2014) for volcanic tremor to use back projection over a 4D grid to determine position and origin time of DLPs. This method holds great potential in that it will allow automated, high-accuracy picking of arrival times and could reduce the number of arrival time picks necessary for traditional location schemes to well constrain event origins. Back projection can also calculate a relative focal mechanism (difficult with traditional methods due to the emergent nature of DLPs) allowing the first in depth analysis of source properties. Our event catalog (spanning over 25 years and volcanoes) is one of the longest and largest and enables us to investigate spatial and temporal variation in DLPs.

A simple recipe for setting up the flux equations of cyclic and linear reaction schemes of ion transport with a high number of states: The arrow scheme.

PubMed

Hansen, Ulf-Peter; Rauh, Oliver; Schroeder, Indra

2016-01-01

The calculation of flux equations or current-voltage relationships in reaction kinetic models with a high number of states can be very cumbersome. Here, a recipe based on an arrow scheme is presented, which yields a straightforward access to the minimum form of the flux equations and the occupation probability of the involved states in cyclic and linear reaction schemes. This is extremely simple for cyclic schemes without branches. If branches are involved, the effort of setting up the equations is a little bit higher. However, also here a straightforward recipe making use of so-called reserve factors is provided for implementing the branches into the cyclic scheme, thus enabling also a simple treatment of such cases.

A simple recipe for setting up the flux equations of cyclic and linear reaction schemes of ion transport with a high number of states: The arrow scheme

PubMed Central

Hansen, Ulf-Peter; Rauh, Oliver; Schroeder, Indra

2016-01-01

abstract The calculation of flux equations or current-voltage relationships in reaction kinetic models with a high number of states can be very cumbersome. Here, a recipe based on an arrow scheme is presented, which yields a straightforward access to the minimum form of the flux equations and the occupation probability of the involved states in cyclic and linear reaction schemes. This is extremely simple for cyclic schemes without branches. If branches are involved, the effort of setting up the equations is a little bit higher. However, also here a straightforward recipe making use of so-called reserve factors is provided for implementing the branches into the cyclic scheme, thus enabling also a simple treatment of such cases. PMID:26646356

Delivery of a national home safety equipment scheme in England: a survey of local scheme leaders.

PubMed

Mulvaney, C A; Watson, M C; Hamilton, T; Errington, G

2013-11-01

Unintentional home injuries sustained by preschool children are a major cause of morbidity in the UK. Home safety equipment schemes may reduce home injury rates. In 2009, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents was appointed as central coordinator of a two-year, £18m national home safety equipment scheme in England. This paper reports the findings from a national survey of all scheme leaders responsible for local scheme delivery. A questionnaire mailed to all local scheme leaders sought details of how the schemes were operated locally; barriers and facilitators to scheme implementation; evaluation of the local scheme and its sustainability. A response rate of 73% was achieved. Health visitors and family support workers played a key role in both the identification of eligible families and performing home safety checks. The majority of local scheme leaders (94.6%) reported that they thought their local scheme had been successful in including those families considered 'harder to engage'. Many scheme leaders (72.4%) reported that they had evaluated the provision of safety equipment in their scheme and over half (56.6%) stated that they would not be able to continue the scheme once funding ceased. Local schemes need support to effectively evaluate their scheme and to seek sustainability funding to ensure the future of the scheme. There remains a lack of evidence of whether the provision of home safety equipment reduces injuries in preschool children.

An online outlier identification and removal scheme for improving fault detection performance.

PubMed

Ferdowsi, Hasan; Jagannathan, Sarangapani; Zawodniok, Maciej

2014-05-01

Measured data or states for a nonlinear dynamic system is usually contaminated by outliers. Identifying and removing outliers will make the data (or system states) more trustworthy and reliable since outliers in the measured data (or states) can cause missed or false alarms during fault diagnosis. In addition, faults can make the system states nonstationary needing a novel analytical model-based fault detection (FD) framework. In this paper, an online outlier identification and removal (OIR) scheme is proposed for a nonlinear dynamic system. Since the dynamics of the system can experience unknown changes due to faults, traditional observer-based techniques cannot be used to remove the outliers. The OIR scheme uses a neural network (NN) to estimate the actual system states from measured system states involving outliers. With this method, the outlier detection is performed online at each time instant by finding the difference between the estimated and the measured states and comparing its median with its standard deviation over a moving time window. The NN weight update law in OIR is designed such that the detected outliers will have no effect on the state estimation, which is subsequently used for model-based fault diagnosis. In addition, since the OIR estimator cannot distinguish between the faulty or healthy operating conditions, a separate model-based observer is designed for fault diagnosis, which uses the OIR scheme as a preprocessing unit to improve the FD performance. The stability analysis of both OIR and fault diagnosis schemes are introduced. Finally, a three-tank benchmarking system and a simple linear system are used to verify the proposed scheme in simulations, and then the scheme is applied on an axial piston pump testbed. The scheme can be applied to nonlinear systems whose dynamics and underlying distribution of states are subjected to change due to both unknown faults and operating conditions.

Polarization Multiplexing of Fluorescent Emission Using Multiresonant Plasmonic Antennas.

PubMed

De Leo, Eva; Cocina, Ario; Tiwari, Preksha; Poulikakos, Lisa V; Marqués-Gallego, Patricia; le Feber, Boris; Norris, David J; Prins, Ferry

2017-12-26

Combining the ability to localize electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale with a directional response, plasmonic antennas offer an effective strategy to shape the far-field pattern of coupled emitters. Here, we introduce a family of directional multiresonant antennas that allows for polarization-resolved spectral identification of fluorescent emission. The geometry consists of a central aperture surrounded by concentric polygonal corrugations. By varying the periodicity of each axis of the polygon individually, this structure can support multiple resonances that provide independent control over emission directionality for multiple wavelengths. Moreover, since each resonant wavelength is directly mapped to a specific polarization orientation, spectral information can be encoded in the polarization state of the out-scattered beam. To demonstrate the potential of such structures in enabling simplified detection schemes and additional functionalities in sensing and imaging applications, we use the central subwavelength aperture as a built-in nanocuvette and manipulate the fluorescent response of colloidal-quantum-dot emitters coupled to the multiresonant antenna.

Polarization Multiplexing of Fluorescent Emission Using Multiresonant Plasmonic Antennas

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Combining the ability to localize electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale with a directional response, plasmonic antennas offer an effective strategy to shape the far-field pattern of coupled emitters. Here, we introduce a family of directional multiresonant antennas that allows for polarization-resolved spectral identification of fluorescent emission. The geometry consists of a central aperture surrounded by concentric polygonal corrugations. By varying the periodicity of each axis of the polygon individually, this structure can support multiple resonances that provide independent control over emission directionality for multiple wavelengths. Moreover, since each resonant wavelength is directly mapped to a specific polarization orientation, spectral information can be encoded in the polarization state of the out-scattered beam. To demonstrate the potential of such structures in enabling simplified detection schemes and additional functionalities in sensing and imaging applications, we use the central subwavelength aperture as a built-in nanocuvette and manipulate the fluorescent response of colloidal-quantum-dot emitters coupled to the multiresonant antenna. PMID:29161502

t4 Workshop Report

PubMed Central

Silbergeld, Ellen K.; Contreras, Elizabeth Q.; Hartung, Thomas; Hirsch, Cordula; Hogberg, Helena; Jachak, Ashish C.; Jordan, William; Landsiedel, Robert; Morris, Jeffery; Patri, Anil; Pounds, Joel G.; de Vizcaya Ruiz, Andrea; Shvedova, Anna; Tanguay, Robert; Tatarazako, Norihasa; van Vliet, Erwin; Walker, Nigel J.; Wiesner, Mark; Wilcox, Neil; Zurlo, Joanne

2014-01-01

Summary In October 2010, a group of experts met as part of the transatlantic think tank for toxicology (t4) to exchange ideas about the current status and future of safety testing of nanomaterials. At present, there is no widely accepted path forward to assure appropriate and effective hazard identification for engineered nanomaterials. The group discussed needs for characterization of nanomaterials and identified testing protocols that incorporate the use of innovative alternative whole models such as zebrafish or C. elegans, as well as in vitro or alternative methods to examine specific functional pathways and modes of action. The group proposed elements of a potential testing scheme for nanomaterials that works towards an integrated testing strategy, incorporating the goals of the NRC report Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy by focusing on pathways of toxic response, and utilizing an evidence-based strategy for developing the knowledge base for safety assessment. Finally, the group recommended that a reliable, open, curated database be developed that interfaces with existing databases to enable sharing of information. PMID:21993959

Brute-Force Approach for Mass Spectrometry-Based Variant Peptide Identification in Proteogenomics without Personalized Genomic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, Mark V.; Lobas, Anna A.; Levitsky, Lev I.; Moshkovskii, Sergei A.; Gorshkov, Mikhail V.

2018-02-01

In a proteogenomic approach based on tandem mass spectrometry analysis of proteolytic peptide mixtures, customized exome or RNA-seq databases are employed for identifying protein sequence variants. However, the problem of variant peptide identification without personalized genomic data is important for a variety of applications. Following the recent proposal by Chick et al. (Nat. Biotechnol. 33, 743-749, 2015) on the feasibility of such variant peptide search, we evaluated two available approaches based on the previously suggested "open" search and the "brute-force" strategy. To improve the efficiency of these approaches, we propose an algorithm for exclusion of false variant identifications from the search results involving analysis of modifications mimicking single amino acid substitutions. Also, we propose a de novo based scoring scheme for assessment of identified point mutations. In the scheme, the search engine analyzes y-type fragment ions in MS/MS spectra to confirm the location of the mutation in the variant peptide sequence.

Modern control concepts in hydrology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, N.; Johnson, G. R.; Winn, C. B.

1974-01-01

Two approaches to an identification problem in hydrology are presented based upon concepts from modern control and estimation theory. The first approach treats the identification of unknown parameters in a hydrologic system subject to noisy inputs as an adaptive linear stochastic control problem; the second approach alters the model equation to account for the random part in the inputs, and then uses a nonlinear estimation scheme to estimate the unknown parameters. Both approaches use state-space concepts. The identification schemes are sequential and adaptive and can handle either time invariant or time dependent parameters. They are used to identify parameters in the Prasad model of rainfall-runoff. The results obtained are encouraging and conform with results from two previous studies; the first using numerical integration of the model equation along with a trial-and-error procedure, and the second, by using a quasi-linearization technique. The proposed approaches offer a systematic way of analyzing the rainfall-runoff process when the input data are imbedded in noise.

A predictor-corrector scheme for vortex identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singer, Bart A.; Banks, David C.

1994-01-01

A new algorithm for identifying and characterizing vortices in complex flows is presented. The scheme uses both the vorticity and pressure fields. A skeleton line along the center of a vortex is produced by a two-step predictor-corrector scheme. The technique uses the vector field to move in the direction of the skeleton line and the scalar field to correct the location in the plane perpendicular to the skeleton line. A general vortex cross section can be concisely defined with five parameters at each point along the skeleton line. The details of the method and examples of its use are discussed.

Analysis and application of minimum variance discrete time system identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, H.; Kotob, S.

1975-01-01

An on-line minimum variance parameter identifier is developed which embodies both accuracy and computational efficiency. The formulation results in a linear estimation problem with both additive and multiplicative noise. The resulting filter which utilizes both the covariance of the parameter vector itself and the covariance of the error in identification is proven to be mean square convergent and mean square consistent. The MV parameter identification scheme is then used to construct a stable state and parameter estimation algorithm.

Importance biasing scheme implemented in the PRIZMA code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kandiev, I.Z.; Malyshkin, G.N.

1997-12-31

PRIZMA code is intended for Monte Carlo calculations of linear radiation transport problems. The code has wide capabilities to describe geometry, sources, material composition, and to obtain parameters specified by user. There is a capability to calculate path of particle cascade (including neutrons, photons, electrons, positrons and heavy charged particles) taking into account possible transmutations. Importance biasing scheme was implemented to solve the problems which require calculation of functionals related to small probabilities (for example, problems of protection against radiation, problems of detection, etc.). The scheme enables to adapt trajectory building algorithm to problem peculiarities.

New Term Weighting Formulas for the Vector Space Method in Information Retrieval

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chisholm, E.; Kolda, T.G.

The goal in information retrieval is to enable users to automatically and accurately find data relevant to their queries. One possible approach to this problem i use the vector space model, which models documents and queries as vectors in the term space. The components of the vectors are determined by the term weighting scheme, a function of the frequencies of the terms in the document or query as well as throughout the collection. We discuss popular term weighting schemes and present several new schemes that offer improved performance.

Autonomous Component Health Management with Failed Component Detection, Identification, and Avoidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Robert N.; Polites, Michael E.; Trevino, Luis C.

2004-01-01

This paper details a novel scheme for autonomous component health management (ACHM) with failed actuator detection and failed sensor detection, identification, and avoidance. This new scheme has features that far exceed the performance of systems with triple-redundant sensing and voting, yet requires fewer sensors and could be applied to any system with redundant sensing. Relevant background to the ACHM scheme is provided, and the simulation results for the application of that scheme to a single-axis spacecraft attitude control system with a 3rd order plant and dual-redundant measurement of system states are presented. ACHM fulfills key functions needed by an integrated vehicle health monitoring (IVHM) system. It is: autonomous; adaptive; works in realtime; provides optimal state estimation; identifies failed components; avoids failed components; reconfigures for multiple failures; reconfigures for intermittent failures; works for hard-over, soft, and zero-output failures; and works for both open- and closed-loop systems. The ACHM scheme combines a prefilter that generates preliminary state estimates, detects and identifies failed sensors and actuators, and avoids the use of failed sensors in state estimation with a fixed-gain Kalman filter that generates optimal state estimates and provides model-based state estimates that comprise an integral part of the failure detection logic. The results show that ACHM successfully isolates multiple persistent and intermittent hard-over, soft, and zero-output failures. It is now ready to be tested on a computer model of an actual system.

On Space-Time Inversion Invariance and its Relation to Non-Dissipatedness of a CESE Core Scheme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Sin-Chung

2006-01-01

The core motivating ideas of the space-time CESE method are clearly presented and critically analyzed. It is explained why these ideas result in all the simplifying and enabling features of the CESE method. A thorough discussion of the a scheme, a two-level non-dissipative CESE solver of a simple advection equation with two independent mesh variables and two equations per mesh point is also presented. It is shown that the scheme possesses some rather intriguing properties such as: (i) its two independent mesh variables separately satisfy two decoupled three-level leapfrog schemes and (ii) it shares with the leapfrog scheme the same amplification factors, even though the a scheme and the leapfrog scheme have completely different origins and structures. It is also explained why the leapfrog scheme is not as robust as the a scheme. The amplification factors/matrices of several non-dissipative schemes are carefully studied and the key properties that contribute to their non-dissipatedness are clearly spelled out. Finally we define and establish space-time inversion (STI) invariance for several non-dissipative schemes and show that their non-dissipatedness is a result of their STI invariance.

An Improvement of Robust Biometrics-Based Authentication and Key Agreement Scheme for Multi-Server Environments Using Smart Cards

PubMed Central

Moon, Jongho; Choi, Younsung; Jung, Jaewook; Won, Dongho

2015-01-01

In multi-server environments, user authentication is a very important issue because it provides the authorization that enables users to access their data and services; furthermore, remote user authentication schemes for multi-server environments have solved the problem that has arisen from user’s management of different identities and passwords. For this reason, numerous user authentication schemes that are designed for multi-server environments have been proposed over recent years. In 2015, Lu et al. improved upon Mishra et al.’s scheme, claiming that their remote user authentication scheme is more secure and practical; however, we found that Lu et al.’s scheme is still insecure and incorrect. In this paper, we demonstrate that Lu et al.’s scheme is vulnerable to outsider attack and user impersonation attack, and we propose a new biometrics-based scheme for authentication and key agreement that can be used in multi-server environments; then, we show that our proposed scheme is more secure and supports the required security properties. PMID:26709702

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Haemophilus haemolyticus and Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae and a New Testing Scheme for Their Discrimination.

PubMed

Hu, Fang; Rishishwar, Lavanya; Sivadas, Ambily; Mitchell, Gabriel J; Jordan, I King; Murphy, Timothy F; Gilsdorf, Janet R; Mayer, Leonard W; Wang, Xin

2016-12-01

Haemophilus haemolyticus has been recently discovered to have the potential to cause invasive disease. It is closely related to nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NT H. influenzae). NT H. influenzae and H. haemolyticus are often misidentified because none of the existing tests targeting the known phenotypes of H. haemolyticus are able to specifically identify H. haemolyticus Through comparative genomic analysis of H. haemolyticus and NT H. influenzae, we identified genes unique to H. haemolyticus that can be used as targets for the identification of H. haemolyticus A real-time PCR targeting purT (encoding phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase 2 in the purine synthesis pathway) was developed and evaluated. The lower limit of detection was 40 genomes/PCR; the sensitivity and specificity in detecting H. haemolyticus were 98.9% and 97%, respectively. To improve the discrimination of H. haemolyticus and NT H. influenzae, a testing scheme combining two targets (H. haemolyticus purT and H. influenzae hpd, encoding protein D lipoprotein) was also evaluated and showed 96.7% sensitivity and 98.2% specificity for the identification of H. haemolyticus and 92.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the identification of H. influenzae, respectively. The dual-target testing scheme can be used for the diagnosis and surveillance of infection and disease caused by H. haemolyticus and NT H. influenzae. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Haemophilus haemolyticus and Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae and a New Testing Scheme for Their Discrimination

PubMed Central

Hu, Fang; Rishishwar, Lavanya; Sivadas, Ambily; Mitchell, Gabriel J.; Jordan, I. King; Murphy, Timothy F.; Gilsdorf, Janet R.; Mayer, Leonard W.

2016-01-01

Haemophilus haemolyticus has been recently discovered to have the potential to cause invasive disease. It is closely related to nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NT H. influenzae). NT H. influenzae and H. haemolyticus are often misidentified because none of the existing tests targeting the known phenotypes of H. haemolyticus are able to specifically identify H. haemolyticus. Through comparative genomic analysis of H. haemolyticus and NT H. influenzae, we identified genes unique to H. haemolyticus that can be used as targets for the identification of H. haemolyticus. A real-time PCR targeting purT (encoding phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase 2 in the purine synthesis pathway) was developed and evaluated. The lower limit of detection was 40 genomes/PCR; the sensitivity and specificity in detecting H. haemolyticus were 98.9% and 97%, respectively. To improve the discrimination of H. haemolyticus and NT H. influenzae, a testing scheme combining two targets (H. haemolyticus purT and H. influenzae hpd, encoding protein D lipoprotein) was also evaluated and showed 96.7% sensitivity and 98.2% specificity for the identification of H. haemolyticus and 92.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the identification of H. influenzae, respectively. The dual-target testing scheme can be used for the diagnosis and surveillance of infection and disease caused by H. haemolyticus and NT H. influenzae. PMID:27707939

Numerical calculation of thermo-mechanical problems at large strains based on complex step derivative approximation of tangent stiffness matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balzani, Daniel; Gandhi, Ashutosh; Tanaka, Masato; Schröder, Jörg

2015-05-01

In this paper a robust approximation scheme for the numerical calculation of tangent stiffness matrices is presented in the context of nonlinear thermo-mechanical finite element problems and its performance is analyzed. The scheme extends the approach proposed in Kim et al. (Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 200:403-413, 2011) and Tanaka et al. (Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 269:454-470, 2014 and bases on applying the complex-step-derivative approximation to the linearizations of the weak forms of the balance of linear momentum and the balance of energy. By incorporating consistent perturbations along the imaginary axis to the displacement as well as thermal degrees of freedom, we demonstrate that numerical tangent stiffness matrices can be obtained with accuracy up to computer precision leading to quadratically converging schemes. The main advantage of this approach is that contrary to the classical forward difference scheme no round-off errors due to floating-point arithmetics exist within the calculation of the tangent stiffness. This enables arbitrarily small perturbation values and therefore leads to robust schemes even when choosing small values. An efficient algorithmic treatment is presented which enables a straightforward implementation of the method in any standard finite-element program. By means of thermo-elastic and thermo-elastoplastic boundary value problems at finite strains the performance of the proposed approach is analyzed.

A Novel IEEE 802.15.4e DSME MAC for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Sahoo, Prasan Kumar; Pattanaik, Sudhir Ranjan; Wu, Shih-Lin

2017-01-01

IEEE 802.15.4e standard proposes Deterministic and Synchronous Multichannel Extension (DSME) mode for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to support industrial, commercial and health care applications. In this paper, a new channel access scheme and beacon scheduling schemes are designed for the IEEE 802.15.4e enabled WSNs in star topology to reduce the network discovery time and energy consumption. In addition, a new dynamic guaranteed retransmission slot allocation scheme is designed for devices with the failure Guaranteed Time Slot (GTS) transmission to reduce the retransmission delay. To evaluate our schemes, analytical models are designed to analyze the performance of WSNs in terms of reliability, delay, throughput and energy consumption. Our schemes are validated with simulation and analytical results and are observed that simulation results well match with the analytical one. The evaluated results of our designed schemes can improve the reliability, throughput, delay, and energy consumptions significantly. PMID:28275216

A Novel IEEE 802.15.4e DSME MAC for Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Sahoo, Prasan Kumar; Pattanaik, Sudhir Ranjan; Wu, Shih-Lin

2017-01-16

IEEE 802.15.4e standard proposes Deterministic and Synchronous Multichannel Extension (DSME) mode for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to support industrial, commercial and health care applications. In this paper, a new channel access scheme and beacon scheduling schemes are designed for the IEEE 802.15.4e enabled WSNs in star topology to reduce the network discovery time and energy consumption. In addition, a new dynamic guaranteed retransmission slot allocation scheme is designed for devices with the failure Guaranteed Time Slot (GTS) transmission to reduce the retransmission delay. To evaluate our schemes, analytical models are designed to analyze the performance of WSNs in terms of reliability, delay, throughput and energy consumption. Our schemes are validated with simulation and analytical results and are observed that simulation results well match with the analytical one. The evaluated results of our designed schemes can improve the reliability, throughput, delay, and energy consumptions significantly.

iPad: Semantic annotation and markup of radiological images.

PubMed

Rubin, Daniel L; Rodriguez, Cesar; Shah, Priyanka; Beaulieu, Chris

2008-11-06

Radiological images contain a wealth of information,such as anatomy and pathology, which is often not explicit and computationally accessible. Information schemes are being developed to describe the semantic content of images, but such schemes can be unwieldy to operationalize because there are few tools to enable users to capture structured information easily as part of the routine research workflow. We have created iPad, an open source tool enabling researchers and clinicians to create semantic annotations on radiological images. iPad hides the complexity of the underlying image annotation information model from users, permitting them to describe images and image regions using a graphical interface that maps their descriptions to structured ontologies semi-automatically. Image annotations are saved in a variety of formats,enabling interoperability among medical records systems, image archives in hospitals, and the Semantic Web. Tools such as iPad can help reduce the burden of collecting structured information from images, and it could ultimately enable researchers and physicians to exploit images on a very large scale and glean the biological and physiological significance of image content.

A discrete-time adaptive control scheme for robot manipulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarokh, M.

1990-01-01

A discrete-time model reference adaptive control scheme is developed for trajectory tracking of robot manipulators. The scheme utilizes feedback, feedforward, and auxiliary signals, obtained from joint angle measurement through simple expressions. Hyperstability theory is utilized to derive the adaptation laws for the controller gain matrices. It is shown that trajectory tracking is achieved despite gross robot parameter variation and uncertainties. The method offers considerable design flexibility and enables the designer to improve the performance of the control system by adjusting free design parameters. The discrete-time adaptation algorithm is extremely simple and is therefore suitable for real-time implementation. Simulations and experimental results are given to demonstrate the performance of the scheme.

Two-out-of-two color matching based visual cryptography schemes.

PubMed

Machizaud, Jacques; Fournel, Thierry

2012-09-24

Visual cryptography which consists in sharing a secret message between transparencies has been extended to color prints. In this paper, we propose a new visual cryptography scheme based on color matching. The stacked printed media reveal a uniformly colored message decoded by the human visual system. In contrast with the previous color visual cryptography schemes, the proposed one enables to share images without pixel expansion and to detect a forgery as the color of the message is kept secret. In order to correctly print the colors on the media and to increase the security of the scheme, we use spectral models developed for color reproduction describing printed colors from an optical point of view.

LDPC-coded orbital angular momentum (OAM) modulation for free-space optical communication.

PubMed

Djordjevic, Ivan B; Arabaci, Murat

2010-11-22

An orbital angular momentum (OAM) based LDPC-coded modulation scheme suitable for use in FSO communication is proposed. We demonstrate that the proposed scheme can operate under strong atmospheric turbulence regime and enable 100 Gb/s optical transmission while employing 10 Gb/s components. Both binary and nonbinary LDPC-coded OAM modulations are studied. In addition to providing better BER performance, the nonbinary LDPC-coded modulation reduces overall decoder complexity and latency. The nonbinary LDPC-coded OAM modulation provides a net coding gain of 9.3 dB at the BER of 10(-8). The maximum-ratio combining scheme outperforms the corresponding equal-gain combining scheme by almost 2.5 dB.

Centrifuge: rapid and sensitive classification of metagenomic sequences.

PubMed

Kim, Daehwan; Song, Li; Breitwieser, Florian P; Salzberg, Steven L

2016-12-01

Centrifuge is a novel microbial classification engine that enables rapid, accurate, and sensitive labeling of reads and quantification of species on desktop computers. The system uses an indexing scheme based on the Burrows-Wheeler transform (BWT) and the Ferragina-Manzini (FM) index, optimized specifically for the metagenomic classification problem. Centrifuge requires a relatively small index (4.2 GB for 4078 bacterial and 200 archaeal genomes) and classifies sequences at very high speed, allowing it to process the millions of reads from a typical high-throughput DNA sequencing run within a few minutes. Together, these advances enable timely and accurate analysis of large metagenomics data sets on conventional desktop computers. Because of its space-optimized indexing schemes, Centrifuge also makes it possible to index the entire NCBI nonredundant nucleotide sequence database (a total of 109 billion bases) with an index size of 69 GB, in contrast to k-mer-based indexing schemes, which require far more extensive space. © 2016 Kim et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

"Interactive Classification Technology"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deBessonet, Cary

1999-01-01

The investigators are upgrading a knowledge representation language called SL (Symbolic Language) and an automated reasoning system called SMS (Symbolic Manipulation System) to enable the technologies to be used in automated reasoning and interactive classification systems. The overall goals of the project are: a) the enhancement of the representation language SL to accommodate multiple perspectives and a wider range of meaning; b) the development of a sufficient set of operators to enable the interpreter of SL to handle representations of basic cognitive acts; and c) the development of a default inference scheme to operate over SL notation as it is encoded. As to particular goals the first-year work plan focused on inferencing and.representation issues, including: 1) the development of higher level cognitive/ classification functions and conceptual models for use in inferencing and decision making; 2) the specification of a more detailed scheme of defaults and the enrichment of SL notation to accommodate the scheme; and 3) the adoption of additional perspectives for inferencing.

OS2: Oblivious similarity based searching for encrypted data outsourced to an untrusted domain

PubMed Central

Pervez, Zeeshan; Ahmad, Mahmood; Khattak, Asad Masood; Ramzan, Naeem

2017-01-01

Public cloud storage services are becoming prevalent and myriad data sharing, archiving and collaborative services have emerged which harness the pay-as-you-go business model of public cloud. To ensure privacy and confidentiality often encrypted data is outsourced to such services, which further complicates the process of accessing relevant data by using search queries. Search over encrypted data schemes solve this problem by exploiting cryptographic primitives and secure indexing to identify outsourced data that satisfy the search criteria. Almost all of these schemes rely on exact matching between the encrypted data and search criteria. A few schemes which extend the notion of exact matching to similarity based search, lack realism as those schemes rely on trusted third parties or due to increase storage and computational complexity. In this paper we propose Oblivious Similarity based Search (OS2) for encrypted data. It enables authorized users to model their own encrypted search queries which are resilient to typographical errors. Unlike conventional methodologies, OS2 ranks the search results by using similarity measure offering a better search experience than exact matching. It utilizes encrypted bloom filter and probabilistic homomorphic encryption to enable authorized users to access relevant data without revealing results of search query evaluation process to the untrusted cloud service provider. Encrypted bloom filter based search enables OS2 to reduce search space to potentially relevant encrypted data avoiding unnecessary computation on public cloud. The efficacy of OS2 is evaluated on Google App Engine for various bloom filter lengths on different cloud configurations. PMID:28692697

[Formula: see text]: Oblivious similarity based searching for encrypted data outsourced to an untrusted domain.

PubMed

Pervez, Zeeshan; Ahmad, Mahmood; Khattak, Asad Masood; Ramzan, Naeem; Khan, Wajahat Ali

2017-01-01

Public cloud storage services are becoming prevalent and myriad data sharing, archiving and collaborative services have emerged which harness the pay-as-you-go business model of public cloud. To ensure privacy and confidentiality often encrypted data is outsourced to such services, which further complicates the process of accessing relevant data by using search queries. Search over encrypted data schemes solve this problem by exploiting cryptographic primitives and secure indexing to identify outsourced data that satisfy the search criteria. Almost all of these schemes rely on exact matching between the encrypted data and search criteria. A few schemes which extend the notion of exact matching to similarity based search, lack realism as those schemes rely on trusted third parties or due to increase storage and computational complexity. In this paper we propose Oblivious Similarity based Search ([Formula: see text]) for encrypted data. It enables authorized users to model their own encrypted search queries which are resilient to typographical errors. Unlike conventional methodologies, [Formula: see text] ranks the search results by using similarity measure offering a better search experience than exact matching. It utilizes encrypted bloom filter and probabilistic homomorphic encryption to enable authorized users to access relevant data without revealing results of search query evaluation process to the untrusted cloud service provider. Encrypted bloom filter based search enables [Formula: see text] to reduce search space to potentially relevant encrypted data avoiding unnecessary computation on public cloud. The efficacy of [Formula: see text] is evaluated on Google App Engine for various bloom filter lengths on different cloud configurations.

Checklist and Simple Identification Key for Frogs and Toads from District IV of The MADA Scheme, Kedah, Malaysia

PubMed Central

Jaafar, Ibrahim; Chai, Teoh Chia; Sah, Shahrul Anuar Mohd; Akil, Mohd Abdul Muin Md.

2009-01-01

A survey was conducted to catalogue the diversity of anurans in District IV of the Muda Agriculture Development Authority Scheme (MADA) in Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia, from July 1996 to January 1997. Eight species of anurans from three families were present in the study area. Of these, the Common Grass Frog (Fejevarya limnocharis) was the most abundant, followed by Mangrove Frog (Fejevarya cancrivora), Long-legged Frog (Hylarana macrodactyla), and Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus). Puddle Frog (Occidozyga lima), Taiwanese Giant Frog (Hoplobatrachus rugulosus), and Banded Bullfrog (Kaluola pulchra) were rare during the sampling period, and only one Paddy Frog (Hylarana erythraea) was captured. A simple identification key for the anurans of this area is included for use by scientists and laymen alike. PMID:24575178

Identification of terrain cover using the optimum polarimetric classifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kong, J. A.; Swartz, A. A.; Yueh, H. A.; Novak, L. M.; Shin, R. T.

1988-01-01

A systematic approach for the identification of terrain media such as vegetation canopy, forest, and snow-covered fields is developed using the optimum polarimetric classifier. The covariance matrices for various terrain cover are computed from theoretical models of random medium by evaluating the scattering matrix elements. The optimal classification scheme makes use of a quadratic distance measure and is applied to classify a vegetation canopy consisting of both trees and grass. Experimentally measured data are used to validate the classification scheme. Analytical and Monte Carlo simulated classification errors using the fully polarimetric feature vector are compared with classification based on single features which include the phase difference between the VV and HH polarization returns. It is shown that the full polarimetric results are optimal and provide better classification performance than single feature measurements.

Towards a true aerosol-and-cloud retrieval scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Gareth; Poulsen, Caroline; Povey, Adam; McGarragh, Greg; Jerg, Matthias; Siddans, Richard; Grainger, Don

2014-05-01

The Optimal Retrieval of Aerosol and Cloud (ORAC) - formally the Oxford-RAL Aerosol and Cloud retrieval - offers a framework that can provide consistent and well characterised properties of both aerosols and clouds from a range of imaging satellite instruments. Several practical issues stand in the way of achieving the potential of this combined scheme however; in particular the sometimes conflicting priorities and requirements of aerosol and cloud retrieval problems, and the question of the unambiguous identification of aerosol and cloud pixels. This presentation will present recent developments made to the ORAC scheme for both aerosol and cloud, and detail how these are being integrated into a single retrieval framework. The implementation of a probabilistic method for pixel identification will also be presented, for both cloud detection and aerosol/cloud type selection. The method is based on Bayesian methods applied the optimal estimation retrieval output of ORAC and is particularly aimed at providing additional information in the so-called "twilight zone", where pixels can't be unambiguously identified as either aerosol or cloud and traditional cloud or aerosol products do not provide results.

Whole-system evaluation research of a scheme to support inner city recruitment and retention of GPs.

PubMed

Bellman, Loretta

2002-12-01

The GP Assistant/Research Associate scheme developed in the Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, London, aims to attract and recruit young GPs (GP Assistants) and develop their commitment to work in local inner city practices. Continuing professional development for both young and established GPs is a key feature of the scheme. The objectives of the whole-system evaluation research were to explore the perspectives of 34 stakeholders in the academic department, the practices and the PCGs, and to investigate the experiences of 19 GP Assistants who have participated in the scheme. Qualitative methods included semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations in the practices, audio-taped meetings and personal journals. Data collection also included reviewing documentation of the scheme, i.e. the previous quantitative evaluation report, publications and e-mails. The multi-method approach enabled individual, group and team perspectives of the scheme and triangulation of the data through comparing dialogue with observations and documentary evidence. Thematic analysis was undertaken to elicit the complex experiences of the GP Assistants. Wide-ranging findings included enthusiastic support for the continuation of the scheme. The GP Assistants' personal and professional development was clearly evident from the themes 'eye opener', new knowledge, managing multiple roles, feeling vulnerable, time constraints and empowering processes. Seven of the GP Assistants have become partners and ten chose to remain working in local practices. Significant challenges for managing and leading the scheme were apparent. Greater co-operation and collaborative working between the academic department and the practices is required. The scheme provides a highly valued visible means of support for GPs and could act as a model for a career pathway aimed at enhancing recruitment and retention of GPs. The scheme is also at the forefront of national initiatives aimed at supporting single-handed practices and helping GPs with their continuing professional development. An integrated approach to change, education, research and development is advocated to enable recruitment and retention of GPs, their academic development, and to underpin the evolution of PCTs as learning organizations.

From development to success: the European surveillance scheme for travel associated Legionnaires' disease.

PubMed

Joseph, Carol A; Ricketts, Katherine D

2007-12-01

EWGLINET, the European surveillance scheme for travel associated Legionnaires' disease, was established in 1987 following the identification of the disease in 1976. In 1998, the European Commission's Decision 2119/98/EC provided a legal framework for EWGLINET's operation, and its aims and objectives were formalised. Since its inception, the scheme has encountered a number of challenges which have influenced its development as a Disease Specific Network. The solutions to these challenges, and their successes, may be of interest to similar schemes. This article traces the development of the scheme and its responses to the challenges it has encountered. One especially significant document developed by the scheme is the European Guidelines for Control and Prevention of Travel Associated Legionnaires' Disease;(1) its history is explored. In addition, EWGLINET's relationship with collaborating centres and other groups such as tour operators is highlighted. Despite changing over time, the collaborations and partnerships have been maintained and continue to ensure a close cooperation, maximizing public health effects.

Rapid Communication: Quasi-gedanken experiment challenging the no-signalling theorem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalamidas, Demetrios A.

2018-01-01

Kennedy ( Philos. Sci. 62, 4 (1995)) has argued that the various quantum mechanical no-signalling proofs formulated thus far share a common mathematical framework, are circular in nature, and do not preclude the construction of empirically testable schemes wherein superluminal exchange of information can occur. In light of this thesis, we present a potentially feasible quantum-optical scheme that purports to enable superluminal signalling.

[The use of telemedicine in dialysis and new professional practices].

PubMed

Grangier, Jean-Pierre

2016-11-01

Since 2006, a remote patient monitoring scheme using digital pens has enabled patients with chronic kidney disease to be monitored remotely in their own home. The implementation of this project was accompanied by a technical and economic study. Today, this scheme has evolved to integrate therapeutic patient education programmes and their evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Multiple crack detection in 3D using a stable XFEM and global optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agathos, Konstantinos; Chatzi, Eleni; Bordas, Stéphane P. A.

2018-02-01

A numerical scheme is proposed for the detection of multiple cracks in three dimensional (3D) structures. The scheme is based on a variant of the extended finite element method (XFEM) and a hybrid optimizer solution. The proposed XFEM variant is particularly well-suited for the simulation of 3D fracture problems, and as such serves as an efficient solution to the so-called forward problem. A set of heuristic optimization algorithms are recombined into a multiscale optimization scheme. The introduced approach proves effective in tackling the complex inverse problem involved, where identification of multiple flaws is sought on the basis of sparse measurements collected near the structural boundary. The potential of the scheme is demonstrated through a set of numerical case studies of varying complexity.

Identification, Characterization, and Evaluation Criteria for Systems Engineering Agile Enablers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-16

Identification, Characterization, and Evaluation Criteria for Systems Engineering Agile Enablers Technical Report SERC -2015-TR-049-1...Task Order 024, RT 124 Report No. SERC -2015-TR-049-1 Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the...Technology The Systems Engineering Research Center ( SERC ) is a federally funded University Affiliated Research Center managed by Stevens Institute of

Prospects for Biological Soilborne Disease Control: Application of Indigenous Versus Synthetic Microbiomes.

PubMed

Mazzola, Mark; Freilich, Shiri

2017-03-01

Biological disease control of soilborne plant diseases has traditionally employed the biopesticide approach whereby single strains or strain mixtures are introduced into production systems through inundative/inoculative release. The approach has significant barriers that have long been recognized, including a generally limited spectrum of target pathogens for any given biocontrol agent and inadequate colonization of the host rhizosphere, which can plague progress in the utilization of this resource in commercial field-based crop production systems. Thus, although potential exists, this model has continued to lag in its application. New omics' tools have enabled more rapid screening of microbial populations allowing for the identification of strains with multiple functional attributes that may contribute to pathogen suppression. Similarly, these technologies also enable the characterization of consortia in natural systems which provide the framework for construction of synthetic microbiomes for disease control. Harnessing the potential of the microbiome indigenous to agricultural soils for disease suppression through application of specific management strategies has long been a goal of plant pathologists. Although this tactic also possesses limitation, our enhanced understanding of functional attributes of suppressive soil systems through application of community and metagenomic analysis methods provide opportunity to devise effective resource management schemes. As these microbial communities in large part are fostered by the resources endemic to soil and the rhizosphere, substrate mediated recruitment of disease-suppressive microbiomes constitutes a practical means to foster their establishment in crop production systems.

Vernier-like super resolution with guided correlated photon pairs.

PubMed

Nespoli, Matteo; Goan, Hsi-Sheng; Shih, Min-Hsiung

2016-01-11

We describe a dispersion-enabled, ultra-low power realization of super-resolution in an integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Our scheme is based on a Vernier-like effect in the coincident detection of frequency correlated, non-degenerate photon pairs at the sensor output in the presence of group index dispersion. We design and simulate a realistic integrated refractive index sensor in a silicon nitride on silica platform and characterize its performance in the proposed scheme. We present numerical results showing a sensitivity improvement upward of 40 times over a traditional sensing scheme. The device we design is well within the reach of modern semiconductor fabrication technology. We believe this is the first metrology scheme that uses waveguide group index dispersion as a resource to attain super-resolution.

A Chaos MIMO-OFDM Scheme for Mobile Communication with Physical-Layer Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Eiji

Chaos communications enable a physical-layer security, which can enhance the transmission security in combining with upper-layer encryption techniques, or can omit the upper-layer secure protocol and enlarges the transmission efficiency. However, the chaos communication usually degrades the error rate performance compared to unencrypted digital modulations. To achieve both physical-layer security and channel coding gain, we have proposed a chaos multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scheme in which a rate-one chaos convolution is applied to MIMO multiplexing. However, in the conventional study only flat fading is considered. To apply this scheme to practical mobile environments, i.e., multipath fading channels, we propose a chaos MIMO-orthogonal frequency division multi-plexing (OFDM) scheme and show its effectiveness through computer simulations.

Simplification of a dust emission scheme and comparison with data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Yaping

2004-05-01

A simplification of a dust emission scheme is proposed, which takes into account of saltation bombardment and aggregates disintegration. The statement of the scheme is that dust emission is proportional to streamwise saltation flux, but the proportionality depends on soil texture and soil plastic pressure p. For small p values (loose soils), dust emission rate is proportional to u*4 (u* is friction velocity) but not necessarily so in general. The dust emission predictions using the scheme are compared with several data sets published in the literature. The comparison enables the estimate of a model parameter and soil plastic pressure for various soils. While more data are needed for further verification, a general guideline for choosing model parameters is recommended.

Enhanced smartcard-based password-authenticated key agreement using extended chaotic maps.

PubMed

Lee, Tian-Fu; Hsiao, Chia-Hung; Hwang, Shi-Han; Lin, Tsung-Hung

2017-01-01

A smartcard based password-authenticated key agreement scheme enables a legal user to log in to a remote authentication server and access remote services through public networks using a weak password and a smart card. Lin recently presented an improved chaotic maps-based password-authenticated key agreement scheme that used smartcards to eliminate the weaknesses of the scheme of Guo and Chang, which does not provide strong user anonymity and violates session key security. However, the improved scheme of Lin does not exhibit the freshness property and the validity of messages so it still fails to withstand denial-of-service and privileged-insider attacks. Additionally, a single malicious participant can predetermine the session key such that the improved scheme does not exhibit the contributory property of key agreements. This investigation discusses these weaknesses and proposes an enhanced smartcard-based password-authenticated key agreement scheme that utilizes extended chaotic maps. The session security of this enhanced scheme is based on the extended chaotic map-based Diffie-Hellman problem, and is proven in the real-or-random and the sequence of games models. Moreover, the enhanced scheme ensures the freshness of communicating messages by appending timestamps, and thereby avoids the weaknesses in previous schemes.

An enhanced biometric-based authentication scheme for telecare medicine information systems using elliptic curve cryptosystem.

PubMed

Lu, Yanrong; Li, Lixiang; Peng, Haipeng; Yang, Yixian

2015-03-01

The telecare medical information systems (TMISs) enable patients to conveniently enjoy telecare services at home. The protection of patient's privacy is a key issue due to the openness of communication environment. Authentication as a typical approach is adopted to guarantee confidential and authorized interaction between the patient and remote server. In order to achieve the goals, numerous remote authentication schemes based on cryptography have been presented. Recently, Arshad et al. (J Med Syst 38(12): 2014) presented a secure and efficient three-factor authenticated key exchange scheme to remedy the weaknesses of Tan et al.'s scheme (J Med Syst 38(3): 2014). In this paper, we found that once a successful off-line password attack that results in an adversary could impersonate any user of the system in Arshad et al.'s scheme. In order to thwart these security attacks, an enhanced biometric and smart card based remote authentication scheme for TMISs is proposed. In addition, the BAN logic is applied to demonstrate the completeness of the enhanced scheme. Security and performance analyses show that our enhanced scheme satisfies more security properties and less computational cost compared with previously proposed schemes.

Enhanced smartcard-based password-authenticated key agreement using extended chaotic maps

PubMed Central

Lee, Tian-Fu; Hsiao, Chia-Hung; Hwang, Shi-Han

2017-01-01

A smartcard based password-authenticated key agreement scheme enables a legal user to log in to a remote authentication server and access remote services through public networks using a weak password and a smart card. Lin recently presented an improved chaotic maps-based password-authenticated key agreement scheme that used smartcards to eliminate the weaknesses of the scheme of Guo and Chang, which does not provide strong user anonymity and violates session key security. However, the improved scheme of Lin does not exhibit the freshness property and the validity of messages so it still fails to withstand denial-of-service and privileged-insider attacks. Additionally, a single malicious participant can predetermine the session key such that the improved scheme does not exhibit the contributory property of key agreements. This investigation discusses these weaknesses and proposes an enhanced smartcard-based password-authenticated key agreement scheme that utilizes extended chaotic maps. The session security of this enhanced scheme is based on the extended chaotic map-based Diffie-Hellman problem, and is proven in the real-or-random and the sequence of games models. Moreover, the enhanced scheme ensures the freshness of communicating messages by appending timestamps, and thereby avoids the weaknesses in previous schemes. PMID:28759615

Improved numerical methods for turbulent viscous recirculating flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turan, A.

1985-01-01

The hybrid-upwind finite difference schemes employed in generally available combustor codes possess excessive numerical diffusion errors which preclude accurate quantative calculations. The present study has as its primary objective the identification and assessment of an improved solution algorithm as well as discretization schemes applicable to analysis of turbulent viscous recirculating flows. The assessment is carried out primarily in two dimensional/axisymetric geometries with a view to identifying an appropriate technique to be incorporated in a three-dimensional code.

Degradable Polymers and Block Copolymers from Electron-deficient Carbonyl Compounds (STIR) (7.3 Polymer Chemistry - Synthesis: Architecture and Composition)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-23

polymerization results Illustrations: Scheme 1. Polymerization of aldehydes and depolymerization of polyacetals. Scheme 2. Optimized methods for...oligomers) to the pure aldehyde monomer requires several distillations and transfer of the monomer at reflux directly to the polymerization vessel. Low...the controlled organocatalytic chain polymerization of ethyl glyoxylate and other reactive aldehydes , which will enable the preparation of

Comparison among Magnus/Floquet/Fer expansion schemes in solid-state NMR.

PubMed

Takegoshi, K; Miyazawa, Norihiro; Sharma, Kshama; Madhu, P K

2015-04-07

We here revisit expansion schemes used in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the calculation of effective Hamiltonians and propagators, namely, Magnus, Floquet, and Fer expansions. While all the expansion schemes are powerful methods there are subtle differences among them. To understand the differences, we performed explicit calculation for heteronuclear dipolar decoupling, cross-polarization, and rotary-resonance experiments in solid-state NMR. As the propagator from the Fer expansion takes the form of a product of sub-propagators, it enables us to appreciate effects of time-evolution under Hamiltonians with different orders separately. While 0th-order average Hamiltonian is the same for the three expansion schemes with the three cases examined, there is a case that the 2nd-order term for the Magnus/Floquet expansion is different from that obtained with the Fer expansion. The difference arises due to the separation of the 0th-order term in the Fer expansion. The separation enables us to appreciate time-evolution under the 0th-order average Hamiltonian, however, for that purpose, we use a so-called left-running Fer expansion. Comparison between the left-running Fer expansion and the Magnus expansion indicates that the sign of the odd orders in Magnus may better be reversed if one would like to consider its effect in order.

Comparison among Magnus/Floquet/Fer expansion schemes in solid-state NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takegoshi, K.; Miyazawa, Norihiro; Sharma, Kshama; Madhu, P. K.

2015-04-01

We here revisit expansion schemes used in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the calculation of effective Hamiltonians and propagators, namely, Magnus, Floquet, and Fer expansions. While all the expansion schemes are powerful methods there are subtle differences among them. To understand the differences, we performed explicit calculation for heteronuclear dipolar decoupling, cross-polarization, and rotary-resonance experiments in solid-state NMR. As the propagator from the Fer expansion takes the form of a product of sub-propagators, it enables us to appreciate effects of time-evolution under Hamiltonians with different orders separately. While 0th-order average Hamiltonian is the same for the three expansion schemes with the three cases examined, there is a case that the 2nd-order term for the Magnus/Floquet expansion is different from that obtained with the Fer expansion. The difference arises due to the separation of the 0th-order term in the Fer expansion. The separation enables us to appreciate time-evolution under the 0th-order average Hamiltonian, however, for that purpose, we use a so-called left-running Fer expansion. Comparison between the left-running Fer expansion and the Magnus expansion indicates that the sign of the odd orders in Magnus may better be reversed if one would like to consider its effect in order.

Comparison among Magnus/Floquet/Fer expansion schemes in solid-state NMR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takegoshi, K., E-mail: takeyan@kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Miyazawa, Norihiro; Sharma, Kshama

2015-04-07

We here revisit expansion schemes used in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the calculation of effective Hamiltonians and propagators, namely, Magnus, Floquet, and Fer expansions. While all the expansion schemes are powerful methods there are subtle differences among them. To understand the differences, we performed explicit calculation for heteronuclear dipolar decoupling, cross-polarization, and rotary-resonance experiments in solid-state NMR. As the propagator from the Fer expansion takes the form of a product of sub-propagators, it enables us to appreciate effects of time-evolution under Hamiltonians with different orders separately. While 0th-order average Hamiltonian is the same for the three expansion schemes withmore » the three cases examined, there is a case that the 2nd-order term for the Magnus/Floquet expansion is different from that obtained with the Fer expansion. The difference arises due to the separation of the 0th-order term in the Fer expansion. The separation enables us to appreciate time-evolution under the 0th-order average Hamiltonian, however, for that purpose, we use a so-called left-running Fer expansion. Comparison between the left-running Fer expansion and the Magnus expansion indicates that the sign of the odd orders in Magnus may better be reversed if one would like to consider its effect in order.« less

Future perspectives toward the early definition of a multivariate decision-support scheme employed in clinical decision making for senior citizens.

PubMed

Frantzidis, Christos A; Gilou, Sotiria; Billis, Antonis; Karagianni, Maria; Bratsas, Charalampos D; Bamidis, Panagiotis

2016-03-01

Recent neuroscientific studies focused on the identification of pathological neurophysiological patterns (emotions, geriatric depression, memory impairment and sleep disturbances) through computerised clinical decision-support systems. Almost all these research attempts employed either resting-state condition (e.g. eyes-closed) or event-related potentials extracted during a cognitive task known to be affected by the disease under consideration. This Letter reviews existing data mining techniques and aims to enhance their robustness by proposing a holistic decision framework dealing with comorbidities and early symptoms' identification, while it could be applied in realistic occasions. Multivariate features are elicited and fused in order to be compared with average activities characteristic of each neuropathology group. A proposed model of the specific cognitive function which may be based on previous findings (a priori information) and/or validated by current experimental data should be then formed. So, the proposed scheme facilitates the early identification and prevention of neurodegenerative phenomena. Neurophysiological semantic annotation is hypothesised to enhance the importance of the proposed framework in facilitating the personalised healthcare of the information society and medical informatics research community.

An adaptive learning control system for large flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thau, F. E.

1985-01-01

The objective of the research has been to study the design of adaptive/learning control systems for the control of large flexible structures. In the first activity an adaptive/learning control methodology for flexible space structures was investigated. The approach was based on using a modal model of the flexible structure dynamics and an output-error identification scheme to identify modal parameters. In the second activity, a least-squares identification scheme was proposed for estimating both modal parameters and modal-to-actuator and modal-to-sensor shape functions. The technique was applied to experimental data obtained from the NASA Langley beam experiment. In the third activity, a separable nonlinear least-squares approach was developed for estimating the number of excited modes, shape functions, modal parameters, and modal amplitude and velocity time functions for a flexible structure. In the final research activity, a dual-adaptive control strategy was developed for regulating the modal dynamics and identifying modal parameters of a flexible structure. A min-max approach was used for finding an input to provide modal parameter identification while not exceeding reasonable bounds on modal displacement.

Long-duration heat load measurement approach by novel apparatus design and highly efficient algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yanwei; Yi, Fajun; Meng, Songhe; Zhuo, Lijun; Pan, Weizhen

2017-11-01

Improving the surface heat load measurement technique for vehicles in aerodynamic heating environments is imperative, regarding aspects of both the apparatus design and identification efficiency. A simple novel apparatus is designed for heat load identification, taking into account the lessons learned from several aerodynamic heating measurement devices. An inverse finite difference scheme (invFDM) for the apparatus is studied to identify its surface heat flux from the interior temperature measurements with high efficiency. A weighted piecewise regression filter is also proposed for temperature measurement prefiltering. Preliminary verification of the invFDM scheme and the filter is accomplished via numerical simulation experiments. Three specific pieces of apparatus have been concretely designed and fabricated using different sensing materials. The aerodynamic heating process is simulated by an inductively coupled plasma wind tunnel facility. The identification of surface temperature and heat flux from the temperature measurements is performed by invFDM. The results validate the high efficiency, reliability and feasibility of heat load measurements with different heat flux levels utilizing the designed apparatus and proposed method.

Tension Cutoff and Parameter Identification for the Viscoplastic Cap Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-01

computer program "VPDRVR" which employs a Crank-Nicolson time integration scheme and a Newton-Raphson iterative solution procedure. Numerical studies were...parameters was illustrated for triaxial stress and uniaxial strain loading for a well- studied sand material (McCormick Ranch Sand). Lastly, a finite element...viscoplastic tension-cutoff cri- terion and to establish parameter identification techniques with experimental data. Herein lies the impetus of this study

Neural Networks and other Techniques for Fault Identification and Isolation of Aircraft Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Innocenti, M.; Napolitano, M.

2003-01-01

Fault identification, isolation, and accomodation have become critical issues in the overall performance of advanced aircraft systems. Neural Networks have shown to be a very attractive alternative to classic adaptation methods for identification and control of non-linear dynamic systems. The purpose of this paper is to show the improvements in neural network applications achievable through the use of learning algorithms more efficient than the classic Back-Propagation, and through the implementation of the neural schemes in parallel hardware. The results of the analysis of a scheme for Sensor Failure, Detection, Identification and Accommodation (SFDIA) using experimental flight data of a research aircraft model are presented. Conventional approaches to the problem are based on observers and Kalman Filters while more recent methods are based on neural approximators. The work described in this paper is based on the use of neural networks (NNs) as on-line learning non-linear approximators. The performances of two different neural architectures were compared. The first architecture is based on a Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP) NN trained with the Extended Back Propagation algorithm (EBPA). The second architecture is based on a Radial Basis Function (RBF) NN trained with the Extended-MRAN (EMRAN) algorithms. In addition, alternative methods for communications links fault detection and accomodation are presented, relative to multiple unmanned aircraft applications.

An application of the geophysical methods and ALS DTM for the identification of the geological structure in the Kraśnik region - Lublin Upland, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamiński, Mirosław

2017-11-01

The purpose of the study was the assessment of the viability of selected geophysical methods and the Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) for the identification and interpretation of the geological structure. The studied area is covered with a dense forest. For this reason, the ALS numerical terrain model was applied for the analysis of the topography. Three geophysical methods were used: gravimetric, in the form of a semi-detailed gravimetric photograph, Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). The numerical terrain model enabled the identification of Jurassic limestone outcrops and interpretation of the directions of the faults network. The geological interpretation of the digitally processed gravimetric data enabled the determination of the spatial orientation of the synclines and anticlines axes and of the course directions of main faults. Vertical Electrical Sounding carried along the section line perpendicular to the Gościeradów anticline axis enabled the interpretation of the lithology of this structure and identification of its complex tectonic structure. The shallow geophysical surveys using the ERT method enabled the estimation of the thickness of Quaternary formations deposited unconformably on the highly eroded Jurassic limestone outcrop. The lithology of Quaternary, Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks was also interpreted.

Privacy Protection for Telecare Medicine Information Systems Using a Chaotic Map-Based Three-Factor Authenticated Key Agreement Scheme.

PubMed

Zhang, Liping; Zhu, Shaohui; Tang, Shanyu

2017-03-01

Telecare medicine information systems (TMIS) provide flexible and convenient e-health care. However, the medical records transmitted in TMIS are exposed to unsecured public networks, so TMIS are more vulnerable to various types of security threats and attacks. To provide privacy protection for TMIS, a secure and efficient authenticated key agreement scheme is urgently needed to protect the sensitive medical data. Recently, Mishra et al. proposed a biometrics-based authenticated key agreement scheme for TMIS by using hash function and nonce, they claimed that their scheme could eliminate the security weaknesses of Yan et al.'s scheme and provide dynamic identity protection and user anonymity. In this paper, however, we demonstrate that Mishra et al.'s scheme suffers from replay attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks and fails to provide perfect forward secrecy. To overcome the weaknesses of Mishra et al.'s scheme, we then propose a three-factor authenticated key agreement scheme to enable the patient to enjoy the remote healthcare services via TMIS with privacy protection. The chaotic map-based cryptography is employed in the proposed scheme to achieve a delicate balance of security and performance. Security analysis demonstrates that the proposed scheme resists various attacks and provides several attractive security properties. Performance evaluation shows that the proposed scheme increases efficiency in comparison with other related schemes.

Value based pricing, research and development, and patient access schemes. Will the United Kingdom get it right or wrong?

PubMed Central

Towse, Adrian

2010-01-01

The National Health Service (NHS) should reward innovation it values. This will enable the NHS and the United Kingdom (UK) economy to benefit and impact positively on the Research and Development (R&D) decision making of companies. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) currently seeks to do this on behalf of the NHS. Yet the Office of Fair Trading proposals for Value Based Pricing add price setting powers – initially for the Department of Health (DH) and then for NICE. This introduces an additional substantial uncertainty that will impact on R&D and, conditional on R&D proceeding, on launch (or not) in the UK. Instead of adding to uncertainty the institutional arrangements for assessing value should seek to be predictable and science based, building on NICE's current arrangements. The real challenge is to increase understanding of the underlying cost-effectiveness of the technology itself by collecting evidence alongside use. The 2009 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme sought to help do this with Flexible Pricing (FP) and Patient Access Schemes (PASs). The PASs to date have increased access to medicines, but no schemes proposed to date have yet helped to tackle outcomes uncertainty. The 2010 Innovation Pass can also be seen as a form of ‘coverage with evidence development.’ The NHS is understandably concerned about the costs of running such evidence collection schemes. Enabling the NHS to deliver on such schemes will impact favourably on R&D decisions. Increasing the uncertainty in the UK NHS market through government price setting will reduce incentives for R&D and for early UK launch. PMID:20716236

Value based pricing, research and development, and patient access schemes. Will the United Kingdom get it right or wrong?

PubMed

Towse, Adrian

2010-09-01

The National Health Service (NHS) should reward innovation it values. This will enable the NHS and the United Kingdom (UK) economy to benefit and impact positively on the Research and Development (R&D) decision making of companies. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) currently seeks to do this on behalf of the NHS. Yet the Office of Fair Trading proposals for Value Based Pricing add price setting powers--initially for the Department of Health (DH) and then for NICE. This introduces an additional substantial uncertainty that will impact on R&D and, conditional on R&D proceeding, on launch (or not) in the UK. Instead of adding to uncertainty the institutional arrangements for assessing value should seek to be predictable and science based, building on NICE's current arrangements. The real challenge is to increase understanding of the underlying cost-effectiveness of the technology itself by collecting evidence alongside use. The 2009 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme sought to help do this with Flexible Pricing (FP) and Patient Access Schemes (PASs). The PASs to date have increased access to medicines, but no schemes proposed to date have yet helped to tackle outcomes uncertainty. The 2010 Innovation Pass can also be seen as a form of 'coverage with evidence development.' The NHS is understandably concerned about the costs of running such evidence collection schemes. Enabling the NHS to deliver on such schemes will impact favourably on R&D decisions. Increasing the uncertainty in the UK NHS market through government price setting will reduce incentives for R&D and for early UK launch.

A keyword searchable attribute-based encryption scheme with attribute update for cloud storage.

PubMed

Wang, Shangping; Ye, Jian; Zhang, Yaling

2018-01-01

Ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) scheme is a new type of data encryption primitive, which is very suitable for data cloud storage for its fine-grained access control. Keyword-based searchable encryption scheme enables users to quickly find interesting data stored in the cloud server without revealing any information of the searched keywords. In this work, we provide a keyword searchable attribute-based encryption scheme with attribute update for cloud storage, which is a combination of attribute-based encryption scheme and keyword searchable encryption scheme. The new scheme supports the user's attribute update, especially in our new scheme when a user's attribute need to be updated, only the user's secret key related with the attribute need to be updated, while other user's secret key and the ciphertexts related with this attribute need not to be updated with the help of the cloud server. In addition, we outsource the operation with high computation cost to cloud server to reduce the user's computational burden. Moreover, our scheme is proven to be semantic security against chosen ciphertext-policy and chosen plaintext attack in the general bilinear group model. And our scheme is also proven to be semantic security against chosen keyword attack under bilinear Diffie-Hellman (BDH) assumption.

A keyword searchable attribute-based encryption scheme with attribute update for cloud storage

PubMed Central

Wang, Shangping; Zhang, Yaling

2018-01-01

Ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) scheme is a new type of data encryption primitive, which is very suitable for data cloud storage for its fine-grained access control. Keyword-based searchable encryption scheme enables users to quickly find interesting data stored in the cloud server without revealing any information of the searched keywords. In this work, we provide a keyword searchable attribute-based encryption scheme with attribute update for cloud storage, which is a combination of attribute-based encryption scheme and keyword searchable encryption scheme. The new scheme supports the user's attribute update, especially in our new scheme when a user's attribute need to be updated, only the user's secret key related with the attribute need to be updated, while other user's secret key and the ciphertexts related with this attribute need not to be updated with the help of the cloud server. In addition, we outsource the operation with high computation cost to cloud server to reduce the user's computational burden. Moreover, our scheme is proven to be semantic security against chosen ciphertext-policy and chosen plaintext attack in the general bilinear group model. And our scheme is also proven to be semantic security against chosen keyword attack under bilinear Diffie-Hellman (BDH) assumption. PMID:29795577

Meal box schemes a convenient way to avoid convenience food? Uses and understandings of meal box schemes among Danish consumers.

PubMed

Hertz, Frej Daniel; Halkier, Bente

2017-07-01

The term convenience food is subject to diversification, lack of clarity and moral ambiguity. In this paper we address these issues and critically discuss convenience food by using empirical findings from a Danish study that deals with practitioners' uses of meal box schemes. The methodological design consists of thirteen individual interviews, four focus groups and some observations of cooking practices. We combine the empirical findings with a particular definition of convenience food by Brunner et al. (2010) and selected practice theoretical concepts. This particular combination enables us to categorize meal box schemes as a new form of convenience food called convenient food. In addition, results suggest that meal box schemes reduce leftovers from dinner. Meal boxes also influence dinner related activities such as planning ahead in time and grocery shopping, which require less physical and mental effort. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A secure and efficient authentication and key agreement scheme based on ECC for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Xu, Xin; Zhu, Ping; Wen, Qiaoyan; Jin, Zhengping; Zhang, Hua; He, Lian

2014-01-01

In the field of the Telecare Medicine Information System, recent researches have focused on consummating more convenient and secure healthcare delivery services for patients. In order to protect the sensitive information, various attempts such as access control have been proposed to safeguard patients' privacy in this system. However, these schemes suffered from some certain security defects and had costly consumption, which were not suitable for the telecare medicine information system. In this paper, based on the elliptic curve cryptography, we propose a secure and efficient two-factor mutual authentication and key agreement scheme to reduce the computational cost. Such a scheme enables to provide the patient anonymity by employing the dynamic identity. Compared with other related protocols, the security analysis and performance evaluation show that our scheme overcomes some well-known attacks and has a better performance in the telecare medicine information system.

Generation of steady entanglement via unilateral qubit driving in bad cavities.

PubMed

Jin, Zhao; Su, Shi-Lei; Zhu, Ai-Dong; Wang, Hong-Fu; Shen, Li-Tuo; Zhang, Shou

2017-12-15

We propose a scheme for generating an entangled state for two atoms trapped in two separate cavities coupled to each other. The scheme is based on the competition between the unitary dynamics induced by the classical fields and the collective decays induced by the dissipation of two non-local bosonic modes. In this scheme, only one qubit is driven by external classical fields, whereas the other need not be manipulated via classical driving. This is meaningful for experimental implementation between separate nodes of a quantum network. The steady entanglement can be obtained regardless of the initial state, and the robustness of the scheme against parameter fluctuations is numerically demonstrated. We also give an analytical derivation of the stationary fidelity to enable a discussion of the validity of this regime. Furthermore, based on the dissipative entanglement preparation scheme, we construct a quantum state transfer setup with multiple nodes as a practical application.

An Overview of Recent Advances in Event-Triggered Consensus of Multiagent Systems.

PubMed

Ding, Lei; Han, Qing-Long; Ge, Xiaohua; Zhang, Xian-Ming

2018-04-01

Event-triggered consensus of multiagent systems (MASs) has attracted tremendous attention from both theoretical and practical perspectives due to the fact that it enables all agents eventually to reach an agreement upon a common quantity of interest while significantly alleviating utilization of communication and computation resources. This paper aims to provide an overview of recent advances in event-triggered consensus of MASs. First, a basic framework of multiagent event-triggered operational mechanisms is established. Second, representative results and methodologies reported in the literature are reviewed and some in-depth analysis is made on several event-triggered schemes, including event-based sampling schemes, model-based event-triggered schemes, sampled-data-based event-triggered schemes, and self-triggered sampling schemes. Third, two examples are outlined to show applicability of event-triggered consensus in power sharing of microgrids and formation control of multirobot systems, respectively. Finally, some challenging issues on event-triggered consensus are proposed for future research.

An Efficient Searchable Encryption Against Keyword Guessing Attacks for Sharable Electronic Medical Records in Cloud-based System.

PubMed

Wu, Yilun; Lu, Xicheng; Su, Jinshu; Chen, Peixin

2016-12-01

Preserving the privacy of electronic medical records (EMRs) is extremely important especially when medical systems adopt cloud services to store patients' electronic medical records. Considering both the privacy and the utilization of EMRs, some medical systems apply searchable encryption to encrypt EMRs and enable authorized users to search over these encrypted records. Since individuals would like to share their EMRs with multiple persons, how to design an efficient searchable encryption for sharable EMRs is still a very challenge work. In this paper, we propose a cost-efficient secure channel free searchable encryption (SCF-PEKS) scheme for sharable EMRs. Comparing with existing SCF-PEKS solutions, our scheme reduces the storage overhead and achieves better computation performance. Moreover, our scheme can guard against keyword guessing attack, which is neglected by most of the existing schemes. Finally, we implement both our scheme and a latest medical-based scheme to evaluate the performance. The evaluation results show that our scheme performs much better performance than the latest one for sharable EMRs.

ESS-FH: Enhanced Security Scheme for Fast Handover in Hierarchical Mobile IPv6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Ilsun; Lee, Jong-Hyouk; Sakurai, Kouichi; Hori, Yoshiaki

Fast Handover for Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (F-HMIPv6) that combines advantages of Fast Handover for Mobile IPv6 (FMIPv6) and Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) achieves the superior performance in terms of handover latency and signaling overhead compared with previously developed mobility protocols. However, without being secured, F-HMIPv6 is vulnerable to various security threats. In 2007, Kang and Park proposed a security scheme, which is seamlessly integrated into F-HMIPv6. In this paper, we reveal that Kang-Park's scheme cannot defend against the Denial of Service (DoS) and redirect attacks while largely relying on the group key. Then, we propose an Enhanced Security Scheme for F-HMIPv6 (ESS-FH) that achieves the strong key exchange and the key independence as well as addresses the weaknesses of Kang-Park's scheme. More importantly, it enables fast handover between different MAP domains. The proposed scheme is formally verified based on BAN-logic, and its handover latency is analyzed and compared with that of Kang-Park's scheme.

A New Quantum Watermarking Based on Quantum Wavelet Transforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidari, Shahrokh; Naseri, Mosayeb; Gheibi, Reza; Baghfalaki, Masoud; Rasoul Pourarian, Mohammad; Farouk, Ahmed

2017-06-01

Quantum watermarking is a technique to embed specific information, usually the owner’s identification, into quantum cover data such for copyright protection purposes. In this paper, a new scheme for quantum watermarking based on quantum wavelet transforms is proposed which includes scrambling, embedding and extracting procedures. The invisibility and robustness performances of the proposed watermarking method is confirmed by simulation technique. The invisibility of the scheme is examined by the peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and the histogram calculation. Furthermore the robustness of the scheme is analyzed by the Bit Error Rate (BER) and the Correlation Two-Dimensional (Corr 2-D) calculation. The simulation results indicate that the proposed watermarking scheme indicate not only acceptable visual quality but also a good resistance against different types of attack. Supported by Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

A combined approach of self-referencing and Principle Component Thermography for transient, steady, and selective heating scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omar, M. A.; Parvataneni, R.; Zhou, Y.

2010-09-01

Proposed manuscript describes the implementation of a two step processing procedure, composed of the self-referencing and the Principle Component Thermography (PCT). The combined approach enables the processing of thermograms from transient (flash), steady (halogen) and selective (induction) thermal perturbations. Firstly, the research discusses the three basic processing schemes typically applied for thermography; namely mathematical transformation based processing, curve-fitting processing, and direct contrast based calculations. Proposed algorithm utilizes the self-referencing scheme to create a sub-sequence that contains the maximum contrast information and also compute the anomalies' depth values. While, the Principle Component Thermography operates on the sub-sequence frames by re-arranging its data content (pixel values) spatially and temporally then it highlights the data variance. The PCT is mainly used as a mathematical mean to enhance the defects' contrast thus enabling its shape and size retrieval. The results show that the proposed combined scheme is effective in processing multiple size defects in sandwich steel structure in real-time (<30 Hz) and with full spatial coverage, without the need for a priori defect-free area.

Real-Time Agent-Based Modeling Simulation with in-situ Visualization of Complex Biological Systems: A Case Study on Vocal Fold Inflammation and Healing.

PubMed

Seekhao, Nuttiiya; Shung, Caroline; JaJa, Joseph; Mongeau, Luc; Li-Jessen, Nicole Y K

2016-05-01

We present an efficient and scalable scheme for implementing agent-based modeling (ABM) simulation with In Situ visualization of large complex systems on heterogeneous computing platforms. The scheme is designed to make optimal use of the resources available on a heterogeneous platform consisting of a multicore CPU and a GPU, resulting in minimal to no resource idle time. Furthermore, the scheme was implemented under a client-server paradigm that enables remote users to visualize and analyze simulation data as it is being generated at each time step of the model. Performance of a simulation case study of vocal fold inflammation and wound healing with 3.8 million agents shows 35× and 7× speedup in execution time over single-core and multi-core CPU respectively. Each iteration of the model took less than 200 ms to simulate, visualize and send the results to the client. This enables users to monitor the simulation in real-time and modify its course as needed.

Comment on "Cheating prevention in visual cryptography".

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Chi; Horng, Gwoboa; Tsai, Du-Shiau

2012-07-01

Visual cryptography (VC), proposed by Naor and Shamir, has numerous applications, including visual authentication and identification, steganography, and image encryption. In 2006, Horng showed that cheating is possible in VC, where some participants can deceive the remaining participants by forged transparencies. Since then, designing cheating-prevention visual secret-sharing (CPVSS) schemes has been studied by many researchers. In this paper, we cryptanalyze the Hu-Tzeng CPVSS scheme and show that it is not cheating immune. We also outline an improvement that helps to overcome the problem.

Private Yet Abuse Resistant Open Publishing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danezis, George; Laurie, Ben

We present the problem of abusive, off-topic or repetitive postings on open publishing websites, and the difficulties associated with filtering them out. We propose a scheme that extracts enough information to allow for filtering, based on users being embedded in a social network. Our system maintains the privacy of the poster, and does not require full identification to work well. We present a concrete realization using constructions based on discrete logarithms, and a sketch of how our scheme could be implemented in a centralized fashion.

The Blood Stocks Management Scheme, a partnership venture between the National Blood Service of England and North Wales and participating hospitals for maximizing blood supply chain management.

PubMed

Chapman, J F; Cook, R

2002-10-01

The Blood Stocks Management Scheme (BSMS) has been established as a joint venture between the National Blood Service (NBS) in England and North Wales and participating hospitals to monitor the blood supply chain. Stock and wastage data are submitted to a web-based data-management system, facilitating continuous and complete red cell data collection and 'real time' data extraction. The data-management system enables peer review of performance in respect of stock holding levels and red cell wastage. The BSMS has developed an innovative web-based data-management system that enables data collection and benchmarking of practice, which should drive changes in stock management practice, therefore optimizing the use of donated blood.

Guidance Scheme for Modulation of Drag Devices to Enable Return from Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutta, Soumyo; Bowes, Angela L.; Cianciolo, Alicia D.; Glass, Christopher E.; Powell, Richard W.

2017-01-01

Passive drag devices provide opportunities to return payloads from low Earth orbits quickly without using onboard propulsive systems to de-orbit the spacecraft. However, one potential disadvantage of such systems has been the lack of landing accuracy. Drag modulation or changing the shape of the drag device during flight offer a way to control the de-orbit trajectory and target a specific landing location. This paper discusses a candidate passive drag based system, called Exo-brake, as well as efforts to model the dynamics of the vehicle as it de-orbits and guidance schemes used to control the trajectory. Such systems can enable quick return of payloads from low Earth orbit assets like the International Space Station without the use of large re-entry cargo capsules or propulsive systems.

Terahertz Difference-Frequency Quantum Cascade Laser Sources on Silicon

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-22

temperature. The introduction of the Cherenkov waveguide scheme in these devices grown on semi- insulating InP substrates enabled generation of tens...room temperature, a factor of 5 improvement over the best reference devices on a native semi- insulating InP substrate. © 2016 Optical Society of America...implementation of the Cherenkov emission scheme [10]. Cherenkov THz DFG-QCLs reported so far use a semi- insulating (SI) InP substrate. SI InP

Identifying and quantifying secondhand smoke in multiunit homes with tobacco smoke odor complaints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dacunto, Philip J.; Cheng, Kai-Chung; Acevedo-Bolton, Viviana; Klepeis, Neil E.; Repace, James L.; Ott, Wayne R.; Hildemann, Lynn M.

2013-06-01

Accurate identification and quantification of the secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) that drifts between multiunit homes (MUHs) is essential for assessing resident exposure and health risk. We collected 24 gaseous and particle measurements over 6-9 day monitoring periods in five nonsmoking MUHs with reported SHS intrusion problems. Nicotine tracer sampling showed evidence of SHS intrusion in all five homes during the monitoring period; logistic regression and chemical mass balance (CMB) analysis enabled identification and quantification of some of the precise periods of SHS entry. Logistic regression models identified SHS in eight periods when residents complained of SHS odor, and CMB provided estimates of SHS magnitude in six of these eight periods. Both approaches properly identified or apportioned all six cooking periods used as no-SHS controls. Finally, both approaches enabled identification and/or apportionment of suspected SHS in five additional periods when residents did not report smelling smoke. The time resolution of this methodology goes beyond sampling methods involving single tracers (such as nicotine), enabling the precise identification of the magnitude and duration of SHS intrusion, which is essential for accurate assessment of human exposure.

Resequencing Pathogen Microarray (RPM) for prospective detection and identification of emergent pathogen strains and variants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tibbetts, Clark; Lichanska, Agnieszka M.; Borsuk, Lisa A.; Weslowski, Brian; Morris, Leah M.; Lorence, Matthew C.; Schafer, Klaus O.; Campos, Joseph; Sene, Mohamadou; Myers, Christopher A.; Faix, Dennis; Blair, Patrick J.; Brown, Jason; Metzgar, David

2010-04-01

High-density resequencing microarrays support simultaneous detection and identification of multiple viral and bacterial pathogens. Because detection and identification using RPM is based upon multiple specimen-specific target pathogen gene sequences generated in the individual test, the test results enable both a differential diagnostic analysis and epidemiological tracking of detected pathogen strains and variants from one specimen to the next. The RPM assay enables detection and identification of pathogen sequences that share as little as 80% sequence similarity to prototype target gene sequences represented as detector tiles on the array. This capability enables the RPM to detect and identify previously unknown strains and variants of a detected pathogen, as in sentinel cases associated with an infectious disease outbreak. We illustrate this capability using assay results from testing influenza A virus vaccines configured with strains that were first defined years after the design of the RPM microarray. Results are also presented from RPM-Flu testing of three specimens independently confirmed to the positive for the 2009 Novel H1N1 outbreak strain of influenza virus.

Performance of an optical identification and interrogation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venugopalan, A.; Ghosh, A. K.; Verma, P.; Cheng, S.

2008-04-01

A free space optics based identification and interrogation system has been designed. The applications of the proposed system lie primarily in areas which require a secure means of mutual identification and information exchange between optical readers and tags. Conventional RFIDs raise issues regarding security threats, electromagnetic interference and health safety. The security of RF-ID chips is low due to the wide spatial spread of radio waves. Malicious nodes can read data being transmitted on the network, if they are in the receiving range. The proposed system provides an alternative which utilizes the narrow paraxial beams of lasers and an RSA-based authentication scheme. These provide enhanced security to communication between a tag and the base station or reader. The optical reader can also perform remote identification and the tag can be read from a far off distance, given line of sight. The free space optical identification and interrogation system can be used for inventory management, security systems at airports, port security, communication with high security systems, etc. to name a few. The proposed system was implemented with low-cost, off-the-shelf components and its performance in terms of throughput and bit error rate has been measured and analyzed. The range of operation with a bit-error-rate lower than 10-9 was measured to be about 4.5 m. The security of the system is based on the strengths of the RSA encryption scheme implemented using more than 1024 bits.

A two-thermocouple probe technique for estimating thermocouple time constants in flows with combustion: In situ parameter identification of a first-order lag system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tagawa, M.; Shimoji, T.; Ohta, Y.

1998-09-01

A two-thermocouple probe, composed of two fine-wire thermocouples of unequal diameters, is a novel technique for estimating thermocouple time constants without any dynamic calibration of the thermocouple response. This technique is most suitable for measuring fluctuating temperatures in turbulent combustion. In the present study, the reliability and applicability of this technique are appraised in a turbulent wake of a heated cylinder (without combustion). A fine-wire resistance thermometer (cold wire) of fast response is simultaneously used to provide a reference temperature. A quantitative and detailed comparison between the cold-wire measurement and the compensated thermocouple ones shows that a previous estimation scheme gives thermocouple time constants smaller than appropriate values, unless the noise in the thermocouple signals is negligible and/or the spatial resolution of the two-thermocouple probe is sufficiently high. The scheme has been improved so as to maximize the correlation coefficient between the two compensated-thermocouple outputs. The improved scheme offers better compensation of the thermocouple response. The present approach is generally applicable to in situ parameter identification of a first-order lag system.

Robust pulmonary lobe segmentation against incomplete fissures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Suicheng; Zheng, Qingfeng; Siegfried, Jill; Pu, Jiantao

2012-03-01

As important anatomical landmarks of the human lung, accurate lobe segmentation may be useful for characterizing specific lung diseases (e.g., inflammatory, granulomatous, and neoplastic diseases). A number of investigations showed that pulmonary fissures were often incomplete in image depiction, thereby leading to the computerized identification of individual lobes a challenging task. Our purpose is to develop a fully automated algorithm for accurate identification of individual lobes regardless of the integrity of pulmonary fissures. The underlying idea of the developed lobe segmentation scheme is to use piecewise planes to approximate the detected fissures. After a rotation and a global smoothing, a number of small planes were fitted using local fissures points. The local surfaces are finally combined for lobe segmentation using a quadratic B-spline weighting strategy to assure that the segmentation is smooth. The performance of the developed scheme was assessed by comparing with a manually created reference standard on a dataset of 30 lung CT examinations. These examinations covered a number of lung diseases and were selected from a large chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) dataset. The results indicate that our scheme of lobe segmentation is efficient and accurate against incomplete fissures.

On the security flaws in ID-based password authentication schemes for telecare medical information systems.

PubMed

Mishra, Dheerendra

2015-01-01

Telecare medical information systems (TMIS) enable healthcare delivery services. However, access of these services via public channel raises security and privacy issues. In recent years, several smart card based authentication schemes have been introduced to ensure secure and authorized communication between remote entities over the public channel for the (TMIS). We analyze the security of some of the recently proposed authentication schemes of Lin, Xie et al., Cao and Zhai, and Wu and Xu's for TMIS. Unfortunately, we identify that these schemes failed to satisfy desirable security attributes. In this article we briefly discuss four dynamic ID-based authentication schemes and demonstrate their failure to satisfy desirable security attributes. The study is aimed to demonstrate how inefficient password change phase can lead to denial of server scenario for an authorized user, and how an inefficient login phase causes the communication and computational overhead and decrease the performance of the system. Moreover, we show the vulnerability of Cao and Zhai's scheme to known session specific temporary information attack, vulnerability of Wu and Xu's scheme to off-line password guessing attack, and vulnerability of Xie et al.'s scheme to untraceable on-line password guessing attack.

Efficient secure-channel free public key encryption with keyword search for EMRs in cloud storage.

PubMed

Guo, Lifeng; Yau, Wei-Chuen

2015-02-01

Searchable encryption is an important cryptographic primitive that enables privacy-preserving keyword search on encrypted electronic medical records (EMRs) in cloud storage. Efficiency of such searchable encryption in a medical cloud storage system is very crucial as it involves client platforms such as smartphones or tablets that only have constrained computing power and resources. In this paper, we propose an efficient secure-channel free public key encryption with keyword search (SCF-PEKS) scheme that is proven secure in the standard model. We show that our SCF-PEKS scheme is not only secure against chosen keyword and ciphertext attacks (IND-SCF-CKCA), but also secure against keyword guessing attacks (IND-KGA). Furthermore, our proposed scheme is more efficient than other recent SCF-PEKS schemes in the literature.

Enhancing the Remote Variable Operations in NPSS/CCDK

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sang, Janche; Follen, Gregory; Kim, Chan; Lopez, Isaac; Townsend, Scott

2001-01-01

Many scientific applications in aerodynamics and solid mechanics are written in Fortran. Refitting these legacy Fortran codes with distributed objects can increase the code reusability. The remote variable scheme provided in NPSS/CCDK helps programmers easily migrate the Fortran codes towards a client-server platform. This scheme gives the client the capability of accessing the variables at the server site. In this paper, we review and enhance the remote variable scheme by using the operator overloading features in C++. The enhancement enables NPSS programmers to use remote variables in much the same way as traditional variables. The remote variable scheme adopts the lazy update approach and the prefetch method. The design strategies and implementation techniques are described in details. Preliminary performance evaluation shows that communication overhead can be greatly reduced.

Two Dimensional Finite Element Based Magnetotelluric Inversion using Singular Value Decomposition Method on Transverse Electric Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjong, Tiffany; Yihaa’ Roodhiyah, Lisa; Nurhasan; Sutarno, Doddy

2018-04-01

In this work, an inversion scheme was performed using a vector finite element (VFE) based 2-D magnetotelluric (MT) forward modelling. We use an inversion scheme with Singular value decomposition (SVD) method toimprove the accuracy of MT inversion.The inversion scheme was applied to transverse electric (TE) mode of MT. SVD method was used in this inversion to decompose the Jacobian matrices. Singular values which obtained from the decomposition process were analyzed. This enabled us to determine the importance of data and therefore to define a threshold for truncation process. The truncation of singular value in inversion processcould improve the resulted model.

Rapid identification of Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Helicobacter isolates by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene.

PubMed

Marshall, S M; Melito, P L; Woodward, D L; Johnson, W M; Rodgers, F G; Mulvey, M R

1999-12-01

A rapid two-step identification scheme based on PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene was developed in order to differentiate isolates belonging to the Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Helicobacter genera. For 158 isolates (26 reference cultures and 132 clinical isolates), specific RFLP patterns were obtained and species were successfully identified by this assay.

Butterfly Encryption Scheme for Resource-Constrained Wireless Networks †

PubMed Central

Sampangi, Raghav V.; Sampalli, Srinivas

2015-01-01

Resource-constrained wireless networks are emerging networks such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) that might have restrictions on the available resources and the computations that can be performed. These emerging technologies are increasing in popularity, particularly in defence, anti-counterfeiting, logistics and medical applications, and in consumer applications with growing popularity of the Internet of Things. With communication over wireless channels, it is essential to focus attention on securing data. In this paper, we present an encryption scheme called Butterfly encryption scheme. We first discuss a seed update mechanism for pseudorandom number generators (PRNG), and employ this technique to generate keys and authentication parameters for resource-constrained wireless networks. Our scheme is lightweight, as in it requires less resource when implemented and offers high security through increased unpredictability, owing to continuously changing parameters. Our work focuses on accomplishing high security through simplicity and reuse. We evaluate our encryption scheme using simulation, key similarity assessment, key sequence randomness assessment, protocol analysis and security analysis. PMID:26389899

Butterfly Encryption Scheme for Resource-Constrained Wireless Networks.

PubMed

Sampangi, Raghav V; Sampalli, Srinivas

2015-09-15

Resource-constrained wireless networks are emerging networks such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) that might have restrictions on the available resources and the computations that can be performed. These emerging technologies are increasing in popularity, particularly in defence, anti-counterfeiting, logistics and medical applications, and in consumer applications with growing popularity of the Internet of Things. With communication over wireless channels, it is essential to focus attention on securing data. In this paper, we present an encryption scheme called Butterfly encryption scheme. We first discuss a seed update mechanism for pseudorandom number generators (PRNG), and employ this technique to generate keys and authentication parameters for resource-constrained wireless networks. Our scheme is lightweight, as in it requires less resource when implemented and offers high security through increased unpredictability, owing to continuously changing parameters. Our work focuses on accomplishing high security through simplicity and reuse. We evaluate our encryption scheme using simulation, key similarity assessment, key sequence randomness assessment, protocol analysis and security analysis.

Unnatural selection: talent identification and development in sport.

PubMed

Abbott, Angela; Button, Chris; Pepping, Gert-Jan; Collins, Dave

2005-01-01

The early identification of talented individuals has become increasingly important across many performance domains. Current talent identification (TI) schemes in sport typically select on the basis of discrete, unidimensional measures at unstable periods in the athlete's development. In this article, the concept of talent is revised as a complex, dynamical system in which future behaviors emerge from an interaction of key performance determinants such as psychological behaviors, motor abilities, and physical characteristics. Key nonlinear dynamics concepts are related to TI approaches such as sensitivity to initial conditions, transitions, and exponential behavioral distributions. It is concluded that many TI models place an overemphasis on early identification rather than the development of potentially talented performers. A generic model of talent identification and development is proposed that addresses these issues and provides direction for future research.

Tracking blood products in blood centres using radio frequency identification: a comprehensive assessment.

PubMed

Davis, Rodeina; Geiger, Bradley; Gutierrez, Alfonso; Heaser, Julie; Veeramani, Dharmaraj

2009-07-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) can be a key enabler for enhancing productivity and safety of the blood product supply chain. This article describes a systematic approach developed by the RFID Blood Consortium for a comprehensive feasibility and impact assessment of RFID application in blood centre operations. Our comprehensive assessment approach incorporates process-orientated and technological perspectives as well as impact analysis. Assessment of RFID-enabled process redesign is based on generic core processes derived from the three participating blood centres. The technological assessment includes RFID tag readability and performance evaluation, testing of temperature and biological effects of RF energy on blood products, and RFID system architecture design and standards. The scope of this article is limited to blood centre processes (from donation to manufacturing/distribution) for selected mainstream blood products (red blood cells and platelets). Radio frequency identification can help overcome a number of common challenges and process inefficiencies associated with identification and tracking of blood products. High frequency-based RFID technology performs adequately and safely for red blood cell and platelet products. Productivity and quality improvements in RFID-enabled blood centre processes can recoup investment cost in a 4-year payback period. Radio frequency identification application has significant process-orientated and technological implications. It is feasible and economically justifiable to incorporate RFID into blood centre processes.

A triangle voting algorithm based on double feature constraints for star sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Qiaoyun; Zhong, Xuyang

2018-02-01

A novel autonomous star identification algorithm is presented in this study. In the proposed algorithm, each sensor star constructs multi-triangle with its bright neighbor stars and obtains its candidates by triangle voting process, in which the triangle is considered as the basic voting element. In order to accelerate the speed of this algorithm and reduce the required memory for star database, feature extraction is carried out to reduce the dimension of triangles and each triangle is described by its base and height. During the identification period, the voting scheme based on double feature constraints is proposed to implement triangle voting. This scheme guarantees that only the catalog star satisfying two features can vote for the sensor star, which improves the robustness towards false stars. The simulation and real star image test demonstrate that compared with the other two algorithms, the proposed algorithm is more robust towards position noise, magnitude noise and false stars.

Watershed identification of polygonal patterns in noisy SAR images.

PubMed

Moreels, Pierre; Smrekar, Suzanne E

2003-01-01

This paper describes a new approach to pattern recognition in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. A visual analysis of the images provided by NASA's Magellan mission to Venus has revealed a number of zones showing polygonal-shaped faults on the surface of the planet. The goal of the paper is to provide a method to automate the identification of such zones. The high level of noise in SAR images and its multiplicative nature make automated image analysis difficult and conventional edge detectors, like those based on gradient images, inefficient. We present a scheme based on an improved watershed algorithm and a two-scale analysis. The method extracts potential edges in the SAR image, analyzes the patterns obtained, and decides whether or not the image contains a "polygon area". This scheme can also be applied to other SAR or visual images, for instance in observation of Mars and Jupiter's satellite Europa.

Quantum key management

DOEpatents

Hughes, Richard John; Thrasher, James Thomas; Nordholt, Jane Elizabeth

2016-11-29

Innovations for quantum key management harness quantum communications to form a cryptography system within a public key infrastructure framework. In example implementations, the quantum key management innovations combine quantum key distribution and a quantum identification protocol with a Merkle signature scheme (using Winternitz one-time digital signatures or other one-time digital signatures, and Merkle hash trees) to constitute a cryptography system. More generally, the quantum key management innovations combine quantum key distribution and a quantum identification protocol with a hash-based signature scheme. This provides a secure way to identify, authenticate, verify, and exchange secret cryptographic keys. Features of the quantum key management innovations further include secure enrollment of users with a registration authority, as well as credential checking and revocation with a certificate authority, where the registration authority and/or certificate authority can be part of the same system as a trusted authority for quantum key distribution.

Automatic identification of epileptic seizures from EEG signals using linear programming boosting.

PubMed

Hassan, Ahnaf Rashik; Subasi, Abdulhamit

2016-11-01

Computerized epileptic seizure detection is essential for expediting epilepsy diagnosis and research and for assisting medical professionals. Moreover, the implementation of an epilepsy monitoring device that has low power and is portable requires a reliable and successful seizure detection scheme. In this work, the problem of automated epilepsy seizure detection using singe-channel EEG signals has been addressed. At first, segments of EEG signals are decomposed using a newly proposed signal processing scheme, namely complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN). Six spectral moments are extracted from the CEEMDAN mode functions and train and test matrices are formed afterward. These matrices are fed into the classifier to identify epileptic seizures from EEG signal segments. In this work, we implement an ensemble learning based machine learning algorithm, namely linear programming boosting (LPBoost) to perform classification. The efficacy of spectral features in the CEEMDAN domain is validated by graphical and statistical analyses. The performance of CEEMDAN is compared to those of its predecessors to further inspect its suitability. The effectiveness and the appropriateness of LPBoost are demonstrated as opposed to the commonly used classification models. Resubstitution and 10 fold cross-validation error analyses confirm the superior algorithm performance of the proposed scheme. The algorithmic performance of our epilepsy seizure identification scheme is also evaluated against state-of-the-art works in the literature. Experimental outcomes manifest that the proposed seizure detection scheme performs better than the existing works in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Cohen's Kappa coefficient. It can be anticipated that owing to its use of only one channel of EEG signal, the proposed method will be suitable for device implementation, eliminate the onus of clinicians for analyzing a large bulk of data manually, and expedite epilepsy diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Securing health sensing using integrated circuit metric.

PubMed

Tahir, Ruhma; Tahir, Hasan; McDonald-Maier, Klaus

2015-10-20

Convergence of technologies from several domains of computing and healthcare have aided in the creation of devices that can help health professionals in monitoring their patients remotely. An increase in networked healthcare devices has resulted in incidents related to data theft, medical identity theft and insurance fraud. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of a secure lightweight wearable health sensing system. The proposed system is based on an emerging security technology called Integrated Circuit Metric (ICMetric) that extracts the inherent features of a device to generate a unique device identification. In this paper, we provide details of how the physical characteristics of a health sensor can be used for the generation of hardware "fingerprints". The obtained fingerprints are used to deliver security services like authentication, confidentiality, secure admission and symmetric key generation. The generated symmetric key is used to securely communicate the health records and data of the patient. Based on experimental results and the security analysis of the proposed scheme, it is apparent that the proposed system enables high levels of security for health monitoring in resource optimized manner.

Coherent instability in wall-bounded turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hack, M. J. Philipp

2017-11-01

Hairpin vortices are commonly considered one of the major classes of coherent fluid motions in shear layers, even as their significance in the grand scheme of turbulence has remained an openly debated question. The statistical prevalence of the dynamic process that gives rise to the hairpins across different types of flows suggests an origin in a robust common mechanism triggered by conditions widespread in wall-bounded shear layers. This study seeks to shed light on the physical process which drives the generation of hairpin vortices. It is primarily facilitated through an algorithm based on concepts developed in the field of computer vision which allows the topological identification and analysis of coherent flow processes across multiple scales. Application to direct numerical simulations of boundary layers enables the time-resolved sampling and exploration of the hairpin process in natural flow. The analysis yields rich statistical results which lead to a refined characterization of the hairpin process. Linear stability theory offers further insight into the flow physics and especially into the connection between the hairpin and exponential amplification mechanisms. The results also provide a sharpened understanding of the underlying causality of events.

Securing Health Sensing Using Integrated Circuit Metric

PubMed Central

Tahir, Ruhma; Tahir, Hasan; McDonald-Maier, Klaus

2015-01-01

Convergence of technologies from several domains of computing and healthcare have aided in the creation of devices that can help health professionals in monitoring their patients remotely. An increase in networked healthcare devices has resulted in incidents related to data theft, medical identity theft and insurance fraud. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of a secure lightweight wearable health sensing system. The proposed system is based on an emerging security technology called Integrated Circuit Metric (ICMetric) that extracts the inherent features of a device to generate a unique device identification. In this paper, we provide details of how the physical characteristics of a health sensor can be used for the generation of hardware “fingerprints”. The obtained fingerprints are used to deliver security services like authentication, confidentiality, secure admission and symmetric key generation. The generated symmetric key is used to securely communicate the health records and data of the patient. Based on experimental results and the security analysis of the proposed scheme, it is apparent that the proposed system enables high levels of security for health monitoring in resource optimized manner. PMID:26492250

Parallel Implementation of MAFFT on CUDA-Enabled Graphics Hardware.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiangyuan; Li, Kenli; Salah, Ahmad; Shi, Lin; Li, Keqin

2015-01-01

Multiple sequence alignment (MSA) constitutes an extremely powerful tool for many biological applications including phylogenetic tree estimation, secondary structure prediction, and critical residue identification. However, aligning large biological sequences with popular tools such as MAFFT requires long runtimes on sequential architectures. Due to the ever increasing sizes of sequence databases, there is increasing demand to accelerate this task. In this paper, we demonstrate how graphic processing units (GPUs), powered by the compute unified device architecture (CUDA), can be used as an efficient computational platform to accelerate the MAFFT algorithm. To fully exploit the GPU's capabilities for accelerating MAFFT, we have optimized the sequence data organization to eliminate the bandwidth bottleneck of memory access, designed a memory allocation and reuse strategy to make full use of limited memory of GPUs, proposed a new modified-run-length encoding (MRLE) scheme to reduce memory consumption, and used high-performance shared memory to speed up I/O operations. Our implementation tested in three NVIDIA GPUs achieves speedup up to 11.28 on a Tesla K20m GPU compared to the sequential MAFFT 7.015.

A learning-based semi-autonomous controller for robotic exploration of unknown disaster scenes while searching for victims.

PubMed

Doroodgar, Barzin; Liu, Yugang; Nejat, Goldie

2014-12-01

Semi-autonomous control schemes can address the limitations of both teleoperation and fully autonomous robotic control of rescue robots in disaster environments by allowing a human operator to cooperate and share such tasks with a rescue robot as navigation, exploration, and victim identification. In this paper, we present a unique hierarchical reinforcement learning-based semi-autonomous control architecture for rescue robots operating in cluttered and unknown urban search and rescue (USAR) environments. The aim of the controller is to enable a rescue robot to continuously learn from its own experiences in an environment in order to improve its overall performance in exploration of unknown disaster scenes. A direction-based exploration technique is integrated in the controller to expand the search area of the robot via the classification of regions and the rubble piles within these regions. Both simulations and physical experiments in USAR-like environments verify the robustness of the proposed HRL-based semi-autonomous controller to unknown cluttered scenes with different sizes and varying types of configurations.

The Virtual Solar Observatory: Still a Small Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, J. B.; Bogart, R. S.; Davey, A. R.; Dimitoglou, G.; Hill, F.; Hourcle, J. A.; Martens, P. C.; Surez-Sola, I.; Tian, K. Q.; Wampler, S.

2005-01-01

Two and a half years after a design study began, and a year and a half after development commenced, version 1.0 of the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) was released at the 2004 Fall AGU meeting. Although internal elements of the VSO have changed, the basic design has remained the same, reflecting the team's belief in the importance of a simple, robust mechanism for registering data provider holdings, initiating queries at the appropriate provider sites, aggregating the responses, allowing the user to iterate before making a final selection, and enabling the delivery of data directly from the providers. In order to make the VSO transparent, lightweight, and portable, the developers employed XML for the registry, SOAP for communication between a VSO instance and data services, and HTML for the graphic user interface (GUI's). We discuss the internal data model, the API, and user responses to various trial GUI's as typical design issues for any virtual observatory. We also discuss the role of the "small box" of data search, identification, and delivery services provided by the VSO in the larger, Sun-Solar System Connection virtual observatory (VxO) scheme.

Robust ECC-based authenticated key agreement scheme with privacy protection for Telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Liping; Zhu, Shaohui

2015-05-01

To protect the transmission of the sensitive medical data, a secure and efficient authenticated key agreement scheme should be deployed when the healthcare delivery session is established via Telecare Medicine Information Systems (TMIS) over the unsecure public network. Recently, Islam and Khan proposed an authenticated key agreement scheme using elliptic curve cryptography for TMIS. They claimed that their proposed scheme is provably secure against various attacks in random oracle model and enjoys some good properties such as user anonymity. In this paper, however, we point out that any legal but malicious patient can reveal other user's identity. Consequently, their scheme suffers from server spoofing attack and off-line password guessing attack. Moreover, if the malicious patient performs the same time of the registration as other users, she can further launch the impersonation attack, man-in-the-middle attack, modification attack, replay attack, and strong replay attack successfully. To eliminate these weaknesses, we propose an improved ECC-based authenticated key agreement scheme. Security analysis demonstrates that the proposed scheme can resist various attacks and enables the patient to enjoy the remote healthcare services with privacy protection. Through the performance evaluation, we show that the proposed scheme achieves a desired balance between security and performance in comparisons with other related schemes.

Elucidation of molecular kinetic schemes from macroscopic traces using system identification

PubMed Central

González-Maeso, Javier; Sealfon, Stuart C.; Galocha-Iragüen, Belén; Brezina, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Overall cellular responses to biologically-relevant stimuli are mediated by networks of simpler lower-level processes. Although information about some of these processes can now be obtained by visualizing and recording events at the molecular level, this is still possible only in especially favorable cases. Therefore the development of methods to extract the dynamics and relationships between the different lower-level (microscopic) processes from the overall (macroscopic) response remains a crucial challenge in the understanding of many aspects of physiology. Here we have devised a hybrid computational-analytical method to accomplish this task, the SYStems-based MOLecular kinetic scheme Extractor (SYSMOLE). SYSMOLE utilizes system-identification input-output analysis to obtain a transfer function between the stimulus and the overall cellular response in the Laplace-transformed domain. It then derives a Markov-chain state molecular kinetic scheme uniquely associated with the transfer function by means of a classification procedure and an analytical step that imposes general biological constraints. We first tested SYSMOLE with synthetic data and evaluated its performance in terms of its rate of convergence to the correct molecular kinetic scheme and its robustness to noise. We then examined its performance on real experimental traces by analyzing macroscopic calcium-current traces elicited by membrane depolarization. SYSMOLE derived the correct, previously known molecular kinetic scheme describing the activation and inactivation of the underlying calcium channels and correctly identified the accepted mechanism of action of nifedipine, a calcium-channel blocker clinically used in patients with cardiovascular disease. Finally, we applied SYSMOLE to study the pharmacology of a new class of glutamate antipsychotic drugs and their crosstalk mechanism through a heteromeric complex of G protein-coupled receptors. Our results indicate that our methodology can be successfully applied to accurately derive molecular kinetic schemes from experimental macroscopic traces, and we anticipate that it may be useful in the study of a wide variety of biological systems. PMID:28192423

Blended shared control utilizing online identification : Regulating grasping forces of a surrogate surgical grasper.

PubMed

Stephens, Trevor K; Kong, Nathan J; Dockter, Rodney L; O'Neill, John J; Sweet, Robert M; Kowalewski, Timothy M

2018-06-01

Surgical robots are increasingly common, yet routine tasks such as tissue grasping remain potentially harmful with high occurrences of tissue crush injury due to the lack of force feedback from the grasper. This work aims to investigate whether a blended shared control framework which utilizes real-time identification of the object being grasped as part of the feedback may help address the prevalence of tissue crush injury in robotic surgeries. This work tests the proposed shared control framework and tissue identification algorithm on a custom surrogate surgical robotic grasping setup. This scheme utilizes identification of the object being grasped as part of the feedback to regulate to a desired force. The blended shared control is arbitrated between human and an implicit force controller based on a computed confidence in the identification of the grasped object. The online identification is performed using least squares based on a nonlinear tissue model. Testing was performed on five silicone tissue surrogates. Twenty grasps were conducted, with half of the grasps performed under manual control and half of the grasps performed with the proposed blended shared control, to test the efficacy of the control scheme. The identification method resulted in an average of 95% accuracy across all time samples of all tissue grasps using a full leave-grasp-out cross-validation. There was an average convergence time of [Formula: see text] ms across all training grasps for all tissue surrogates. Additionally, there was a reduction in peak forces induced during grasping for all tissue surrogates when applying blended shared control online. The blended shared control using online identification more successfully regulated grasping forces to the desired target force when compared with manual control. The preliminary work on this surrogate setup for surgical grasping merits further investigation on real surgical tools and with real human tissues.

The role of health system governance in strengthening the rural health insurance system in China.

PubMed

Yuan, Beibei; Jian, Weiyan; He, Li; Wang, Bingyu; Balabanova, Dina

2017-05-23

Systems of governance play a key role in the operation and performance of health systems. In the past six decades, China has made great advances in strengthening its health system, most notably in establishing a health insurance system that enables residents of rural areas to achieve access to essential services. Although there have been several studies of rural health insurance schemes, these have focused on coverage and service utilization, while much less attention has been given to the role of governance in designing and implementing these schemes. Information from publications and policy documents relevant to the development of two rural health insurance policies in China was obtained, analysed, and synthesise. 92 documents on CMS (Cooperative Medical Scheme) or NCMS (New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme) from four databases searched were included. Data extraction and synthesis of the information were guided by a framework that drew on that developed by the WHO to describe health system governance and leadership. We identified a series of governance practices that were supportive of progress, including the prioritisation by the central government of health system development and certain health policies within overall national development; strong government commitment combined with a hierarchal administrative system; clear policy goals coupled with the ability for local government to adopt policy measures that take account of local conditions; and the accumulation and use of the evidence generated from local practices. However these good practices were not seen in all governance domains. For example, poor collaboration between different government departments was shown to be a considerable challenge that undermined the operation of the insurance schemes. China's success in achieving scale up of CMS and NCMS has attracted considerable interest in many low and middle income countries (LMICs), especially with regard to the schemes' designs, coverage, and funding mechanisms. However, this study demonstrates that health systems governance may be critical to enable the development and operation of such schemes. Given that many LMICs are expanding health financing system to cover populations in rural areas or the informal sectors, we argue that strengthening specific practices in each governance domain could inform the adaptation of these schemes to other settings.

Multi-stream face recognition for crime-fighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jassim, Sabah A.; Sellahewa, Harin

2007-04-01

Automatic face recognition (AFR) is a challenging task that is increasingly becoming the preferred biometric trait for identification and has the potential of becoming an essential tool in the fight against crime and terrorism. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have increasingly been used over the last few years for surveillance in public places such as airports, train stations and shopping centers. They are used to detect and prevent crime, shoplifting, public disorder and terrorism. The work of law-enforcing and intelligence agencies is becoming more reliant on the use of databases of biometric data for large section of the population. Face is one of the most natural biometric traits that can be used for identification and surveillance. However, variations in lighting conditions, facial expressions, face size and pose are a great obstacle to AFR. This paper is concerned with using waveletbased face recognition schemes in the presence of variations of expressions and illumination. In particular, we will investigate the use of a combination of wavelet frequency channels for a multi-stream face recognition using various wavelet subbands as different face signal streams. The proposed schemes extend our recently developed face veri.cation scheme for implementation on mobile devices. We shall present experimental results on the performance of our proposed schemes for a number of face databases including a new AV database recorded on a PDA. By analyzing the various experimental data, we shall demonstrate that the multi-stream approach is robust against variations in illumination and facial expressions than the previous single-stream approach.

Experimental verification of Pyragas-Schöll-Fiedler control.

PubMed

von Loewenich, Clemens; Benner, Hartmut; Just, Wolfram

2010-09-01

We present an experimental realization of time-delayed feedback control proposed by Schöll and Fiedler. The scheme enables us to stabilize torsion-free periodic orbits in autonomous systems, and to overcome the so-called odd number limitation. The experimental control performance is in quantitative agreement with the bifurcation analysis of simple model systems. The results uncover some general features of the control scheme which are deemed to be relevant for a large class of setups.

Deterministic protein inference for shotgun proteomics data provides new insights into Arabidopsis pollen development and function

PubMed Central

Grobei, Monica A.; Qeli, Ermir; Brunner, Erich; Rehrauer, Hubert; Zhang, Runxuan; Roschitzki, Bernd; Basler, Konrad; Ahrens, Christian H.; Grossniklaus, Ueli

2009-01-01

Pollen, the male gametophyte of flowering plants, represents an ideal biological system to study developmental processes, such as cell polarity, tip growth, and morphogenesis. Upon hydration, the metabolically quiescent pollen rapidly switches to an active state, exhibiting extremely fast growth. This rapid switch requires relevant proteins to be stored in the mature pollen, where they have to retain functionality in a desiccated environment. Using a shotgun proteomics approach, we unambiguously identified ∼3500 proteins in Arabidopsis pollen, including 537 proteins that were not identified in genetic or transcriptomic studies. To generate this comprehensive reference data set, which extends the previously reported pollen proteome by a factor of 13, we developed a novel deterministic peptide classification scheme for protein inference. This generally applicable approach considers the gene model–protein sequence–protein accession relationships. It allowed us to classify and eliminate ambiguities inherently associated with any shotgun proteomics data set, to report a conservative list of protein identifications, and to seamlessly integrate data from previous transcriptomics studies. Manual validation of proteins unambiguously identified by a single, information-rich peptide enabled us to significantly reduce the false discovery rate, while keeping valuable identifications of shorter and lower abundant proteins. Bioinformatic analyses revealed a higher stability of pollen proteins compared to those of other tissues and implied a protein family of previously unknown function in vesicle trafficking. Interestingly, the pollen proteome is most similar to that of seeds, indicating physiological similarities between these developmentally distinct tissues. PMID:19546170

An adaptive control scheme for a flexible manipulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, T. C.; Yang, J. C. S.; Kudva, P.

1987-01-01

The problem of controlling a single link flexible manipulator is considered. A self-tuning adaptive control scheme is proposed which consists of a least squares on-line parameter identification of an equivalent linear model followed by a tuning of the gains of a pole placement controller using the parameter estimates. Since the initial parameter values for this model are assumed unknown, the use of arbitrarily chosen initial parameter estimates in the adaptive controller would result in undesirable transient effects. Hence, the initial stage control is carried out with a PID controller. Once the identified parameters have converged, control is transferred to the adaptive controller. Naturally, the relevant issues in this scheme are tests for parameter convergence and minimization of overshoots during control switch-over. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, simulation results are presented with an analytical nonlinear dynamic model of a single link flexible manipulator.

Identification of hybrid node and link communities in complex networks

PubMed Central

He, Dongxiao; Jin, Di; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Weixiong

2015-01-01

Identifying communities in complex networks is an effective means for analyzing complex systems, with applications in diverse areas such as social science, engineering, biology and medicine. Finding communities of nodes and finding communities of links are two popular schemes for network analysis. These schemes, however, have inherent drawbacks and are inadequate to capture complex organizational structures in real networks. We introduce a new scheme and an effective approach for identifying complex mixture structures of node and link communities, called hybrid node-link communities. A central piece of our approach is a probabilistic model that accommodates node, link and hybrid node-link communities. Our extensive experiments on various real-world networks, including a large protein-protein interaction network and a large network of semantically associated words, illustrated that the scheme for hybrid communities is superior in revealing network characteristics. Moreover, the new approach outperformed the existing methods for finding node or link communities separately. PMID:25728010

Identification of hybrid node and link communities in complex networks.

PubMed

He, Dongxiao; Jin, Di; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Weixiong

2015-03-02

Identifying communities in complex networks is an effective means for analyzing complex systems, with applications in diverse areas such as social science, engineering, biology and medicine. Finding communities of nodes and finding communities of links are two popular schemes for network analysis. These schemes, however, have inherent drawbacks and are inadequate to capture complex organizational structures in real networks. We introduce a new scheme and an effective approach for identifying complex mixture structures of node and link communities, called hybrid node-link communities. A central piece of our approach is a probabilistic model that accommodates node, link and hybrid node-link communities. Our extensive experiments on various real-world networks, including a large protein-protein interaction network and a large network of semantically associated words, illustrated that the scheme for hybrid communities is superior in revealing network characteristics. Moreover, the new approach outperformed the existing methods for finding node or link communities separately.

Identification of hybrid node and link communities in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Dongxiao; Jin, Di; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Weixiong

2015-03-01

Identifying communities in complex networks is an effective means for analyzing complex systems, with applications in diverse areas such as social science, engineering, biology and medicine. Finding communities of nodes and finding communities of links are two popular schemes for network analysis. These schemes, however, have inherent drawbacks and are inadequate to capture complex organizational structures in real networks. We introduce a new scheme and an effective approach for identifying complex mixture structures of node and link communities, called hybrid node-link communities. A central piece of our approach is a probabilistic model that accommodates node, link and hybrid node-link communities. Our extensive experiments on various real-world networks, including a large protein-protein interaction network and a large network of semantically associated words, illustrated that the scheme for hybrid communities is superior in revealing network characteristics. Moreover, the new approach outperformed the existing methods for finding node or link communities separately.

Input preshaping with frequency domain information for flexible-link manipulator control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tzes, Anthony; Englehart, Matthew J.; Yurkovich, Stephen

1989-01-01

The application of an input preshaping scheme to flexible manipulators is considered. The resulting control corresponds to a feedforward term that convolves in real-time the desired reference input with a sequence of impulses and produces a vibration free output. The robustness of the algorithm with respect to injected disturbances and modal frequency variations is not satisfactory and can be improved by convolving the input with a longer sequence of impulses. The incorporation of the preshaping scheme to a closed-loop plant, using acceleration feedback, offers satisfactory disturbance rejection due to feedback and cancellation of the flexible mode effects due to the preshaping. A frequency domain identification scheme is used to estimate the modal frequencies on-line and subsequently update the spacing between the impulses. The combined adaptive input preshaping scheme provides the fastest possible slew that results in a vibration free output.

Predicting and interpreting identification errors in military vehicle training using multidimensional scaling.

PubMed

Bohil, Corey J; Higgins, Nicholas A; Keebler, Joseph R

2014-01-01

We compared methods for predicting and understanding the source of confusion errors during military vehicle identification training. Participants completed training to identify main battle tanks. They also completed card-sorting and similarity-rating tasks to express their mental representation of resemblance across the set of training items. We expected participants to selectively attend to a subset of vehicle features during these tasks, and we hypothesised that we could predict identification confusion errors based on the outcomes of the card-sort and similarity-rating tasks. Based on card-sorting results, we were able to predict about 45% of observed identification confusions. Based on multidimensional scaling of the similarity-rating data, we could predict more than 80% of identification confusions. These methods also enabled us to infer the dimensions receiving significant attention from each participant. This understanding of mental representation may be crucial in creating personalised training that directs attention to features that are critical for accurate identification. Participants completed military vehicle identification training and testing, along with card-sorting and similarity-rating tasks. The data enabled us to predict up to 84% of identification confusion errors and to understand the mental representation underlying these errors. These methods have potential to improve training and reduce identification errors leading to fratricide.

Performance analyses and improvements for the IEEE 802.15.4 CSMA/CA scheme with heterogeneous buffered conditions.

PubMed

Zhu, Jianping; Tao, Zhengsu; Lv, Chunfeng

2012-01-01

Studies of the IEEE 802.15.4 Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme have been received considerable attention recently, with most of these studies focusing on homogeneous or saturated traffic. Two novel transmission schemes-OSTS/BSTS (One Service a Time Scheme/Bulk Service a Time Scheme)-are proposed in this paper to improve the behaviors of time-critical buffered networks with heterogeneous unsaturated traffic. First, we propose a model which contains two modified semi-Markov chains and a macro-Markov chain combined with the theory of M/G/1/K queues to evaluate the characteristics of these two improved CSMA/CA schemes, in which traffic arrivals and accessing packets are bestowed with non-preemptive priority over each other, instead of prioritization. Then, throughput, packet delay and energy consumption of unsaturated, unacknowledged IEEE 802.15.4 beacon-enabled networks are predicted based on the overall point of view which takes the dependent interactions of different types of nodes into account. Moreover, performance comparisons of these two schemes with other non-priority schemes are also proposed. Analysis and simulation results show that delay and fairness of our schemes are superior to those of other schemes, while throughput and energy efficiency are superior to others in more heterogeneous situations. Comprehensive simulations demonstrate that the analysis results of these models match well with the simulation results.

Identification of natural images and computer-generated graphics based on statistical and textural features.

PubMed

Peng, Fei; Li, Jiao-ting; Long, Min

2015-03-01

To discriminate the acquisition pipelines of digital images, a novel scheme for the identification of natural images and computer-generated graphics is proposed based on statistical and textural features. First, the differences between them are investigated from the view of statistics and texture, and 31 dimensions of feature are acquired for identification. Then, LIBSVM is used for the classification. Finally, the experimental results are presented. The results show that it can achieve an identification accuracy of 97.89% for computer-generated graphics, and an identification accuracy of 97.75% for natural images. The analyses also demonstrate the proposed method has excellent performance, compared with some existing methods based only on statistical features or other features. The method has a great potential to be implemented for the identification of natural images and computer-generated graphics. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

FVID: Fishing Vessel Type Identification Based on VMS Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Haiguang; Hong, Feng; Liu, Jing; Liu, Chao; Feng, Yuan; Guo, Zhongwen

2018-05-01

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) provides a new opportunity for quantified fishing research. Many approaches have been proposed to recognize fishing activities with VMS trajectories based on the types of fishing vessels. However, one research problem is still calling for solutions, how to identify the fishing vessel type based on only VMS trajectories. This problem is important because it requires the fishing vessel type as a preliminary to recognize fishing activities from VMS trajectories. This paper proposes fishing vessel type identification scheme (FVID) based only on VMS trajectories. FVID exploits feature engineering and machine learning schemes of XGBoost as its two key blocks and classifies fishing vessels into nine types. The dataset contains all the fishing vessel trajectories in the East China Sea in March 2017, including 10031 pre-registered fishing vessels and 1350 unregistered vessels of unknown types. In order to verify type identification accuracy, we first conduct a 4-fold cross-validation on the trajectories of registered fishing vessels. The classification accuracy is 95.42%. We then apply FVID to the unregistered fishing vessels to identify their types. After classifying the unregistered fishing vessel types, their fishing activities are further recognized based upon their types. At last, we calculate and compare the fishing density distribution in the East China Sea before and after applying the unregistered fishing vessels, confirming the importance of type identification of unregistered fishing vessels.

Neutron-activation analysis applied to copper ores and artifacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linder, N. F.

1970-01-01

Neutron activation analysis is used for quantitative identification of trace metals in copper. Establishing a unique fingerprint of impurities in Michigan copper would enable identification of artifacts made from this copper.

Enabling search over encrypted multimedia databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Wenjun; Swaminathan, Ashwin; Varna, Avinash L.; Wu, Min

2009-02-01

Performing information retrieval tasks while preserving data confidentiality is a desirable capability when a database is stored on a server maintained by a third-party service provider. This paper addresses the problem of enabling content-based retrieval over encrypted multimedia databases. Search indexes, along with multimedia documents, are first encrypted by the content owner and then stored onto the server. Through jointly applying cryptographic techniques, such as order preserving encryption and randomized hash functions, with image processing and information retrieval techniques, secure indexing schemes are designed to provide both privacy protection and rank-ordered search capability. Retrieval results on an encrypted color image database and security analysis of the secure indexing schemes under different attack models show that data confidentiality can be preserved while retaining very good retrieval performance. This work has promising applications in secure multimedia management.

GenLocDip: A Generalized Program to Calculate and Visualize Local Electric Dipole Moments.

PubMed

Groß, Lynn; Herrmann, Carmen

2016-09-30

Local dipole moments (i.e., dipole moments of atomic or molecular subsystems) are essential for understanding various phenomena in nanoscience, such as solvent effects on the conductance of single molecules in break junctions or the interaction between the tip and the adsorbate in atomic force microscopy. We introduce GenLocDip, a program for calculating and visualizing local dipole moments of molecular subsystems. GenLocDip currently uses the Atoms-In-Molecules (AIM) partitioning scheme and is interfaced to various AIM programs. This enables postprocessing of a variety of electronic structure output formats including cube and wavefunction files, and, in general, output from any other code capable of writing the electron density on a three-dimensional grid. It uses a modified version of Bader's and Laidig's approach for achieving origin-independence of local dipoles by referring to internal reference points which can (but do not need to be) bond critical points (BCPs). Furthermore, the code allows the export of critical points and local dipole moments into a POVray readable input format. It is particularly designed for fragments of large systems, for which no BCPs have been calculated for computational efficiency reasons, because large interfragment distances prevent their identification, or because a local partitioning scheme different from AIM was used. The program requires only minimal user input and is written in the Fortran90 programming language. To demonstrate the capabilities of the program, examples are given for covalently and non-covalently bound systems, in particular molecular adsorbates. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Model identification and vision-based H∞ position control of 6-DoF cable-driven parallel robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chellal, R.; Cuvillon, L.; Laroche, E.

2017-04-01

This paper presents methodologies for the identification and control of 6-degrees of freedom (6-DoF) cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs). First a two-step identification methodology is proposed to accurately estimate the kinematic parameters independently and prior to the dynamic parameters of a physics-based model of CDPRs. Second, an original control scheme is developed, including a vision-based position controller tuned with the H∞ methodology and a cable tension distribution algorithm. The position is controlled in the operational space, making use of the end-effector pose measured by a motion-tracking system. A four-block H∞ design scheme with adjusted weighting filters ensures good trajectory tracking and disturbance rejection properties for the CDPR system, which is a nonlinear-coupled MIMO system with constrained states. The tension management algorithm generates control signals that maintain the cables under feasible tensions. The paper makes an extensive review of the available methods and presents an extension of one of them. The presented methodologies are evaluated by simulations and experimentally on a redundant 6-DoF INCA 6D CDPR with eight cables, equipped with a motion-tracking system.

Indirect measurement of three-photon correlation in nonclassical light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ann, Byoung-moo; Song, Younghoon; Kim, Junki; Yang, Daeho; An, Kyungwon

2016-06-01

We observe the three-photon correlation in nonclassical light sources by using an indirect measurement scheme based on the dead-time effect of photon-counting detectors. We first develop a general theory which enables us to extract the three-photon correlation from the two-photon correlation of an arbitrary light source measured with detectors with finite dead times. We then confirm the validity of our measurement scheme in experiments done with a cavity-QED microlaser operating with a large intracavity mean photon number exhibiting both sub- and super-Poissonian photon statistics. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical expectation. Our measurement scheme provides an alternative approach for N -photon correlation measurement employing (N -1 ) detectors and thus a reduced measurement time for a given signal-to-noise ratio, compared to the usual scheme requiring N detectors.

Enabling an Integrated Rate-temporal Learning Scheme on Memristor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Wei; Huang, Kejie; Ning, Ning; Ramanathan, Kiruthika; Li, Guoqi; Jiang, Yu; Sze, Jiayin; Shi, Luping; Zhao, Rong; Pei, Jing

2014-04-01

Learning scheme is the key to the utilization of spike-based computation and the emulation of neural/synaptic behaviors toward realization of cognition. The biological observations reveal an integrated spike time- and spike rate-dependent plasticity as a function of presynaptic firing frequency. However, this integrated rate-temporal learning scheme has not been realized on any nano devices. In this paper, such scheme is successfully demonstrated on a memristor. Great robustness against the spiking rate fluctuation is achieved by waveform engineering with the aid of good analog properties exhibited by the iron oxide-based memristor. The spike-time-dependence plasticity (STDP) occurs at moderate presynaptic firing frequencies and spike-rate-dependence plasticity (SRDP) dominates other regions. This demonstration provides a novel approach in neural coding implementation, which facilitates the development of bio-inspired computing systems.

Measurement of high-dynamic range x-ray Thomson scattering spectra for the characterization of nano-plasmas at LCLS

DOE PAGES

MacDonald, M. J.; Gorkhover, T.; Bachmann, B.; ...

2016-08-08

Atomic clusters can serve as ideal model systems for exploring ultrafast (~100 fs) laser-driven ionization dynamics of dense matter on the nanometer scale. Resonant absorption of optical laser pulses enables heating to temperatures on the order of 1 keV at near solid density conditions. To date, direct probing of transient states of such nano plasmas was limited to coherent x-ray imaging. Here we present the first measurement of spectrally-resolved incoherent x-ray scattering from clusters, enabling measurements of transient temperature, densities and ionization. Single shot x-ray Thomson scatterings signals were recorded at 120 Hz using a crystal spectrometer in combination withmore » a single-photon counting and energy-dispersive pnCCD. A precise pump laser collimation scheme enabled recording near background-free scattering spectra from Ar clusters with an unprecedented dynamic range of more than 3 orders of magnitude. As a result, such measurements are important for understanding collective effects in laser-matter interactions on femtosecond timescales, opening new routes for the development of schemes for their ultrafast control.« less

Measurement of high-dynamic range x-ray Thomson scattering spectra for the characterization of nano-plasmas at LCLS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacDonald, M. J., E-mail: macdonm@umich.edu; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025; Gorkhover, T.

2016-11-15

Atomic clusters can serve as ideal model systems for exploring ultrafast (∼100 fs) laser-driven ionization dynamics of dense matter on the nanometer scale. Resonant absorption of optical laser pulses enables heating to temperatures on the order of 1 keV at near solid density conditions. To date, direct probing of transient states of such nano-plasmas was limited to coherent x-ray imaging. Here we present the first measurement of spectrally resolved incoherent x-ray scattering from clusters, enabling measurements of transient temperature, densities, and ionization. Single shot x-ray Thomson scattering signals were recorded at 120 Hz using a crystal spectrometer in combination withmore » a single-photon counting and energy-dispersive pnCCD. A precise pump laser collimation scheme enabled recording near background-free scattering spectra from Ar clusters with an unprecedented dynamic range of more than 3 orders of magnitude. Such measurements are important for understanding collective effects in laser-matter interactions on femtosecond time scales, opening new routes for the development of schemes for their ultrafast control.« less

A Novel Image Encryption Scheme Based on Intertwining Chaotic Maps and RC4 Stream Cipher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumari, Manju; Gupta, Shailender

2018-03-01

As the systems are enabling us to transmit large chunks of data, both in the form of texts and images, there is a need to explore algorithms which can provide a higher security without increasing the time complexity significantly. This paper proposes an image encryption scheme which uses intertwining chaotic maps and RC4 stream cipher to encrypt/decrypt the images. The scheme employs chaotic map for the confusion stage and for generation of key for the RC4 cipher. The RC4 cipher uses this key to generate random sequences which are used to implement an efficient diffusion process. The algorithm is implemented in MATLAB-2016b and various performance metrics are used to evaluate its efficacy. The proposed scheme provides highly scrambled encrypted images and can resist statistical, differential and brute-force search attacks. The peak signal-to-noise ratio values are quite similar to other schemes, the entropy values are close to ideal. In addition, the scheme is very much practical since having lowest time complexity then its counterparts.

Meeting stroke survivors' perceived needs: a qualitative study of a community-based exercise and education scheme.

PubMed

Reed, Mary; Harrington, Rachel; Duggan, Aine; Wood, Victorine A

2010-01-01

A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach, to explore stroke survivors' needs and their perceptions of whether a community stroke scheme met these needs. Semi-structured in-depth interviews of 12 stroke survivors, purposively selected from participants attending a new community stroke scheme. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews by two researchers independently. Participants attending the community stroke scheme sought to reconstruct their lives in the aftermath of their stroke. To enable this they needed internal resources of confidence and sense of purpose to 'create their social self', and external resources of 'responsive services' and an 'informal support network', to provide direction and encouragement. Participants felt the community stroke scheme met some of these needs through exercise, goal setting and peer group interaction, which included social support and knowledge acquisition. Stroke survivors need a variety of internal and external resources so that they can rebuild their lives positively post stroke. A stroke-specific community scheme, based on exercise, life-centred goal setting, peer support and knowledge acquisition, is an external resource that can help with meeting some of the stroke survivor's needs.

Verifier-based three-party authentication schemes using extended chaotic maps for data exchange in telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Lee, Tian-Fu

2014-12-01

Telecare medicine information systems provide a communicating platform for accessing remote medical resources through public networks, and help health care workers and medical personnel to rapidly making correct clinical decisions and treatments. An authentication scheme for data exchange in telecare medicine information systems enables legal users in hospitals and medical institutes to establish a secure channel and exchange electronic medical records or electronic health records securely and efficiently. This investigation develops an efficient and secure verified-based three-party authentication scheme by using extended chaotic maps for data exchange in telecare medicine information systems. The proposed scheme does not require server's public keys and avoids time-consuming modular exponential computations and scalar multiplications on elliptic curve used in previous related approaches. Additionally, the proposed scheme is proven secure in the random oracle model, and realizes the lower bounds of messages and rounds in communications. Compared to related verified-based approaches, the proposed scheme not only possesses higher security, but also has lower computational cost and fewer transmissions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A fast numerical scheme for causal relativistic hydrodynamics with dissipation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takamoto, Makoto, E-mail: takamoto@tap.scphys.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro

2011-08-01

Highlights: {yields} We have developed a new multi-dimensional numerical scheme for causal relativistic hydrodynamics with dissipation. {yields} Our new scheme can calculate the evolution of dissipative relativistic hydrodynamics faster and more effectively than existing schemes. {yields} Since we use the Riemann solver for solving the advection steps, our method can capture shocks very accurately. - Abstract: In this paper, we develop a stable and fast numerical scheme for relativistic dissipative hydrodynamics based on Israel-Stewart theory. Israel-Stewart theory is a stable and causal description of dissipation in relativistic hydrodynamics although it includes relaxation process with the timescale for collision of constituentmore » particles, which introduces stiff equations and makes practical numerical calculation difficult. In our new scheme, we use Strang's splitting method, and use the piecewise exact solutions for solving the extremely short timescale problem. In addition, since we split the calculations into inviscid step and dissipative step, Riemann solver can be used for obtaining numerical flux for the inviscid step. The use of Riemann solver enables us to capture shocks very accurately. Simple numerical examples are shown. The present scheme can be applied to various high energy phenomena of astrophysics and nuclear physics.« less

Advanced Techniques of Artificial Networks Design for Radio Signal Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danilin, S. N.; Shchanikov, S. A.; Iventev, A. A.; Zuev, A. D.

2018-05-01

This paper is concerned with the issue of secure radio communication of data between manned aircrafts, unmanned drones and control services. It is indicated that the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) enables correct identification of messages transmitted through radio channels and enhances identification quality by every measure. The authors designed and implemented a simulation modeling technology for ANN development, which enables signal detection with required accuracy in the context of noise jamming, natural and other types of noise.

A numerical scheme for the identification of hybrid systems describing the vibration of flexible beams with tip bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, I. G.

1984-01-01

A cubic spline based Galerkin-like method is developed for the identification of a class of hybrid systems which describe the transverse vibration to flexible beams with attached tip bodies. The identification problem is formulated as a least squares fit to data subject to the system dynamics given by a coupled system of ordnary and partial differential equations recast as an abstract evolution equation (AEE) in an appropriate infinite dimensional Hilbert space. Projecting the AEE into spline-based subspaces leads naturally to a sequence of approximating finite dimensional identification problems. The solutions to these problems are shown to exist, are relatively easily computed, and are shown to, in some sense, converge to solutions to the original identification problem. Numerical results for a variety of examples are discussed.

Wireless Instrumentation System and Power Management Scheme Therefore

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perotti, Jose (Inventor); Lucena, Angel (Inventor); Eckhoff, Anthony (Inventor); Mata, Carlos T. (Inventor); Blalock, Norman N. (Inventor); Medelius, Pedro J. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A wireless instrumentation system enables a plurality of low power wireless transceivers to transmit measurement data from a plurality of remote station sensors to a central data station accurately and reliably. The system employs a relay based communications scheme where remote stations that cannot communicate directly with the central station due to interference, poor signal strength, etc., are instructed to communicate with other of the remote stations that act as relays to the central station. A unique power management scheme is also employed to minimize power usage at each remote station and thereby maximize battery life. Each of the remote stations prefembly employs a modular design to facilitate easy reconfiguration of the stations as required.

Real Traceable Signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Sherman S. M.

Traceable signature scheme extends a group signature scheme with an enhanced anonymity management mechanism. The group manager can compute a tracing trapdoor which enables anyone to test if a signature is signed by a given misbehaving user, while the only way to do so for group signatures requires revealing the signer of all signatures. Nevertheless, it is not tracing in a strict sense. For all existing schemes, T tracing agents need to recollect all N' signatures ever produced and perform RN' “checks” for R revoked users. This involves a high volume of transfer and computations. Increasing T increases the degree of parallelism for tracing but also the probability of “missing” some signatures in case some of the agents are dishonest.

A new detection scheme for ultrafast 2D J-resolved spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giraudeau, Patrick; Akoka, Serge

2007-06-01

Recent ultrafast techniques enable 2D NMR spectra to be obtained in a single scan. A modification of the detection scheme involved in this technique is proposed, permitting the achievement of 2D 1H J-resolved spectra in 500 ms. The detection gradient echoes are substituted by spin echoes to obtain spectra where the coupling constants are encoded along the direct ν2 domain. The use of this new J-resolved detection block after continuous phase-encoding excitation schemes is discussed in terms of resolution and sensitivity. J-resolved spectra obtained on cinnamic acid and 3-ethyl bromopropionate are presented, revealing the expected 2D J-patterns with coupling constants as small as 2 Hz.

Compression of CCD raw images for digital still cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriram, Parthasarathy; Sudharsanan, Subramania

2005-03-01

Lossless compression of raw CCD images captured using color filter arrays has several benefits. The benefits include improved storage capacity, reduced memory bandwidth, and lower power consumption for digital still camera processors. The paper discusses the benefits in detail and proposes the use of a computationally efficient block adaptive scheme for lossless compression. Experimental results are provided that indicate that the scheme performs well for CCD raw images attaining compression factors of more than two. The block adaptive method also compares favorably with JPEG-LS. A discussion is provided indicating how the proposed lossless coding scheme can be incorporated into digital still camera processors enabling lower memory bandwidth and storage requirements.

Three-Component Reaction Discovery Enabled by Mass Spectrometry of Self-Assembled Monolayers

PubMed Central

Montavon, Timothy J.; Li, Jing; Cabrera-Pardo, Jaime R.; Mrksich, Milan; Kozmin, Sergey A.

2011-01-01

Multi-component reactions have been extensively employed in many areas of organic chemistry. Despite significant progress, the discovery of such enabling transformations remains challenging. Here, we present the development of a parallel, label-free reaction-discovery platform, which can be used for identification of new multi-component transformations. Our approach is based on the parallel mass spectrometric screening of interfacial chemical reactions on arrays of self-assembled monolayers. This strategy enabled the identification of a simple organic phosphine that can catalyze a previously unknown condensation of siloxy alkynes, aldehydes and amines to produce 3-hydroxy amides with high efficiency and diastereoselectivity. The reaction was further optimized using solution phase methods. PMID:22169871

33 CFR 169.200 - What is the purpose of this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Identification and Tracking Information § 169.200 What is the purpose of this subpart? This subpart implements... enables the Coast Guard to obtain long range identification and tracking (LRIT) information and thus...

R & D on Beam Injection and Bunching Schemes in the Fermilab Booster

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhat, C. M.

2016-01-01

Fermilab is committed to upgrade its accelerator complex to support HEP experiments at the intensity frontier. The ongoing Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) enables us to reach 700 kW beam power on the NuMI neutrino targets. By the end of the next decade, the current 400 MeV normal conducting LINAC will be replaced by an 800 MeV superconducting LINAC (PIP-II) with an increased beam power >50% of the PIP design goal. Both in PIP and PIP-II era, the existing Booster is going to play a very significant role, at least for next two decades. In the meanwhile, we have recently developedmore » an innovative beam injection and bunching scheme for the Booster called "early injection scheme" that continues to use the existing 400 MeV LINAC and implemented into operation. This scheme has the potential to increase the Booster beam intensity by >40% from the PIP design goal. Some benefits from the scheme have already been seen. In this paper, I will describe the basic principle of the scheme, results from recent beam experiments, our experience with the new scheme in operation, current status, issues and future plans. This scheme fits well with the current and future intensity upgrade programs at Fermilab.« less

Provably Secure Heterogeneous Access Control Scheme for Wireless Body Area Network.

PubMed

Omala, Anyembe Andrew; Mbandu, Angolo Shem; Mutiria, Kamenyi Domenic; Jin, Chunhua; Li, Fagen

2018-04-28

Wireless body area network (WBAN) provides a medium through which physiological information could be harvested and transmitted to application provider (AP) in real time. Integrating WBAN in a heterogeneous Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem would enable an AP to monitor patients from anywhere and at anytime. However, the IoT roadmap of interconnected 'Things' is still faced with many challenges. One of the challenges in healthcare is security and privacy of streamed medical data from heterogeneously networked devices. In this paper, we first propose a heterogeneous signcryption scheme where a sender is in a certificateless cryptographic (CLC) environment while a receiver is in identity-based cryptographic (IBC) environment. We then use this scheme to design a heterogeneous access control protocol. Formal security proof for indistinguishability against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack and unforgeability against adaptive chosen message attack in random oracle model is presented. In comparison with some of the existing access control schemes, our scheme has lower computation and communication cost.

Matching the quasiparton distribution in a momentum subtraction scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Iain W.; Zhao, Yong

2018-03-01

The quasiparton distribution is a spatial correlation of quarks or gluons along the z direction in a moving nucleon which enables direct lattice calculations of parton distribution functions. It can be defined with a nonperturbative renormalization in a regularization independent momentum subtraction scheme (RI/MOM), which can then be perturbatively related to the collinear parton distribution in the MS ¯ scheme. Here we carry out a direct matching from the RI/MOM scheme for the quasi-PDF to the MS ¯ PDF, determining the non-singlet quark matching coefficient at next-to-leading order in perturbation theory. We find that the RI/MOM matching coefficient is insensitive to the ultraviolet region of convolution integral, exhibits improved perturbative convergence when converting between the quasi-PDF and PDF, and is consistent with a quasi-PDF that vanishes in the unphysical region as the proton momentum Pz→∞ , unlike other schemes. This direct approach therefore has the potential to improve the accuracy for converting quasidistribution lattice calculations to collinear distributions.

Parallel-Vector Algorithm For Rapid Structural Anlysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agarwal, Tarun R.; Nguyen, Duc T.; Storaasli, Olaf O.

1993-01-01

New algorithm developed to overcome deficiency of skyline storage scheme by use of variable-band storage scheme. Exploits both parallel and vector capabilities of modern high-performance computers. Gives engineers and designers opportunity to include more design variables and constraints during optimization of structures. Enables use of more refined finite-element meshes to obtain improved understanding of complex behaviors of aerospace structures leading to better, safer designs. Not only attractive for current supercomputers but also for next generation of shared-memory supercomputers.

Electromagnetic Gun With Commutated Coils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elliott, David G.

1991-01-01

Proposed electromagnetic gun includes electromagnet coil, turns of which commutated in sequence along barrel. Electrical current fed to two armatures by brushes sliding on bus bars in barrel. Interaction between armature currents and magnetic field from coil produces force accelerating armature, which in turn, pushes on projectile. Commutation scheme chosen so magnetic field approximately coincides and moves with cylindrical region defined by armatures. Scheme has disadvantage of complexity, but in return, enables designer to increase driving magnetic field without increasing armature current. Attainable muzzle velocity increased substantially.

URINE SOURCE SEPARATION AND TREATMENT: NUTRIENT RECOVERY USING LOW-COST MATERIALS

EPA Science Inventory

Successful completion of this P3 Project will achieve the following expected outputs: identification of low-cost materials that can effectively recover ammonium, phosphate, and potassium from urine; material balance calculations for different urine separation and treatment scheme...

People counting and re-identification using fusion of video camera and laser scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Bo; Olivera, Santiago; Wagley, Raj

2016-05-01

We present a system for people counting and re-identification. It can be used by transit and homeland security agencies. Under FTA SBIR program, we have developed a preliminary system for transit passenger counting and re-identification using a laser scanner and video camera. The laser scanner is used to identify the locations of passenger's head and shoulder in an image, a challenging task in crowed environment. It can also estimate the passenger height without prior calibration. Various color models have been applied to form color signatures. Finally, using a statistical fusion and classification scheme, passengers are counted and re-identified.

Raman fingerprints for unambiguous identification of organotin compounds.

PubMed

Pankin, Dmitrii; Kolesnikov, Ilya; Vasileva, Anna; Pilip, Anna; Zigel, Vladislav; Manshina, Alina

2018-06-13

Raman spectra of the different ecotoxicants such as perfluorooctane sulfonate acid, organotin compounds of different families tributyl-, and triphenyl-, as well as chemically close compounds belonging to the same family - such as mono-, di-, and tributyl organotin compounds were analyzed. The comprehensive Raman spectra analysis allowed suggesting the identification scheme for clear recognition of the toxins family and the following intra-group specification. Possibility of unambiguous toxins detection and identification was demonstrated also for complex mixtures of various toxins on a base of control of characteristic peak groups, which can be considered as Raman fingerprints of the listed environmentally hazardous substances. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Differential identification of Candida species and other yeasts by analysis of (/sup 35/S)methionine-labeled polypeptide profiles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shen, H.D.; Choo, K.B.; Tsai, W.C.

1988-12-01

This paper describes a scheme for differential identification of Candida species and other yeasts based on autoradiographic analysis of protein profiles of (/sup 35/S)methionine-labeled cellular proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using ATCC strains as references, protein profile analysis showed that different Candida and other yeast species produced distinctively different patterns. Good agreement in results obtained with this approach and with other conventional systems was observed. Being accurate and reproducible, this approach provides a basis for the development of an alternative method for the identification of yeasts isolated from clinical specimens.

A Comprehensive Study of Data Collection Schemes Using Mobile Sinks in Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Khan, Abdul Waheed; Abdullah, Abdul Hanan; Anisi, Mohammad Hossein; Bangash, Javed Iqbal

2014-01-01

Recently sink mobility has been exploited in numerous schemes to prolong the lifetime of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Contrary to traditional WSNs where sensory data from sensor field is ultimately sent to a static sink, mobile sink-based approaches alleviate energy-holes issues thereby facilitating balanced energy consumption among nodes. In mobility scenarios, nodes need to keep track of the latest location of mobile sinks for data delivery. However, frequent propagation of sink topological updates undermines the energy conservation goal and therefore should be controlled. Furthermore, controlled propagation of sinks' topological updates affects the performance of routing strategies thereby increasing data delivery latency and reducing packet delivery ratios. This paper presents a taxonomy of various data collection/dissemination schemes that exploit sink mobility. Based on how sink mobility is exploited in the sensor field, we classify existing schemes into three classes, namely path constrained, path unconstrained, and controlled sink mobility-based schemes. We also organize existing schemes based on their primary goals and provide a comparative study to aid readers in selecting the appropriate scheme in accordance with their particular intended applications and network dynamics. Finally, we conclude our discussion with the identification of some unresolved issues in pursuit of data delivery to a mobile sink. PMID:24504107

How automated image analysis techniques help scientists in species identification and classification?

PubMed

Yousef Kalafi, Elham; Town, Christopher; Kaur Dhillon, Sarinder

2017-09-04

Identification of taxonomy at a specific level is time consuming and reliant upon expert ecologists. Hence the demand for automated species identification increased over the last two decades. Automation of data classification is primarily focussed on images, incorporating and analysing image data has recently become easier due to developments in computational technology. Research efforts in identification of species include specimens' image processing, extraction of identical features, followed by classifying them into correct categories. In this paper, we discuss recent automated species identification systems, categorizing and evaluating their methods. We reviewed and compared different methods in step by step scheme of automated identification and classification systems of species images. The selection of methods is influenced by many variables such as level of classification, number of training data and complexity of images. The aim of writing this paper is to provide researchers and scientists an extensive background study on work related to automated species identification, focusing on pattern recognition techniques in building such systems for biodiversity studies.

Performance Evaluation Model for Application Layer Firewalls.

PubMed

Xuan, Shichang; Yang, Wu; Dong, Hui; Zhang, Jiangchuan

2016-01-01

Application layer firewalls protect the trusted area network against information security risks. However, firewall performance may affect user experience. Therefore, performance analysis plays a significant role in the evaluation of application layer firewalls. This paper presents an analytic model of the application layer firewall, based on a system analysis to evaluate the capability of the firewall. In order to enable users to improve the performance of the application layer firewall with limited resources, resource allocation was evaluated to obtain the optimal resource allocation scheme in terms of throughput, delay, and packet loss rate. The proposed model employs the Erlangian queuing model to analyze the performance parameters of the system with regard to the three layers (network, transport, and application layers). Then, the analysis results of all the layers are combined to obtain the overall system performance indicators. A discrete event simulation method was used to evaluate the proposed model. Finally, limited service desk resources were allocated to obtain the values of the performance indicators under different resource allocation scenarios in order to determine the optimal allocation scheme. Under limited resource allocation, this scheme enables users to maximize the performance of the application layer firewall.

Cross-layer restoration with software defined networking based on IP over optical transport networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hui; Cheng, Lei; Deng, Junni; Zhao, Yongli; Zhang, Jie; Lee, Young

2015-10-01

The IP over optical transport network is a very promising networking architecture applied to the interconnection of geographically distributed data centers due to the performance guarantee of low delay, huge bandwidth and high reliability at a low cost. It can enable efficient resource utilization and support heterogeneous bandwidth demands in highly-available, cost-effective and energy-effective manner. In case of cross-layer link failure, to ensure a high-level quality of service (QoS) for user request after the failure becomes a research focus. In this paper, we propose a novel cross-layer restoration scheme for data center services with software defined networking based on IP over optical network. The cross-layer restoration scheme can enable joint optimization of IP network and optical network resources, and enhance the data center service restoration responsiveness to the dynamic end-to-end service demands. We quantitatively evaluate the feasibility and performances through the simulation under heavy traffic load scenario in terms of path blocking probability and path restoration latency. Numeric results show that the cross-layer restoration scheme improves the recovery success rate and minimizes the overall recovery time.

An LMS Programming Scheme and Floating-Gate Technology Enabled Trimmer-Less and Low Voltage Flame Detection Sensor.

PubMed

Iglesias-Rojas, Juan Carlos; Gomez-Castañeda, Felipe; Moreno-Cadenas, Jose Antonio

2017-06-14

In this paper, a Least Mean Square (LMS) programming scheme is used to set the offset voltage of two operational amplifiers that were built using floating-gate transistors, enabling a 0.95 V RMS trimmer-less flame detection sensor. The programming scheme is capable of setting the offset voltage over a wide range of values by means of electron injection. The flame detection sensor consists of two programmable offset operational amplifiers; the first amplifier serves as a 26 μV offset voltage follower, whereas the second amplifier acts as a programmable trimmer-less voltage comparator. Both amplifiers form the proposed sensor, whose principle of functionality is based on the detection of the electrical changes produced by the flame ionization. The experimental results show that it is possible to measure the presence of a flame accurately after programming the amplifiers with a maximum of 35 LMS-algorithm iterations. Current commercial flame detectors are mainly used in absorption refrigerators and large industrial gas heaters, where a high voltage AC source and several mechanical trimmings are used in order to accurately measure the presence of the flame.

Special Semaphore Scheme for UHF Spacecraft Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butman, Stanley; Satorius, Edgar; Ilott, Peter

2006-01-01

A semaphore scheme has been devised to satisfy a requirement to enable ultrahigh- frequency (UHF) radio communication between a spacecraft descending from orbit to a landing on Mars and a spacecraft, in orbit about Mars, that relays communications between Earth and the lander spacecraft. There are also two subsidiary requirements: (1) to use UHF transceivers, built and qualified for operation aboard the spacecraft that operate with residual-carrier binary phase-shift-keying (BPSK) modulation at a selectable data rate of 8, 32, 128, or 256 kb/s; and (2) to enable low-rate signaling even when received signals become so weak as to prevent communication at the minimum BPSK rate of 8 kHz. The scheme involves exploitation of Manchester encoding, which is used in conjunction with residual-carrier modulation to aid the carrier-tracking loop. By choosing various sequences of 1s, 0s, or 1s alternating with 0s to be fed to the residual-carrier modulator, one would cause the modulator to generate sidebands at a fundamental frequency of 4 or 8 kHz and harmonics thereof. These sidebands would constitute the desired semaphores. In reception, the semaphores would be detected by a software demodulator.

Modulation aware cluster size optimisation in wireless sensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriram Naik, M.; Kumar, Vinay

2017-07-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play a great role because of their numerous advantages to the mankind. The main challenge with WSNs is the energy efficiency. In this paper, we have focused on the energy minimisation with the help of cluster size optimisation along with consideration of modulation effect when the nodes are not able to communicate using baseband communication technique. Cluster size optimisations is important technique to improve the performance of WSNs. It provides improvement in energy efficiency, network scalability, network lifetime and latency. We have proposed analytical expression for cluster size optimisation using traditional sensing model of nodes for square sensing field with consideration of modulation effects. Energy minimisation can be achieved by changing the modulation schemes such as BPSK, 16-QAM, QPSK, 64-QAM, etc., so we are considering the effect of different modulation techniques in the cluster formation. The nodes in the sensing fields are random and uniformly deployed. It is also observed that placement of base station at centre of scenario enables very less number of modulation schemes to work in energy efficient manner but when base station placed at the corner of the sensing field, it enable large number of modulation schemes to work in energy efficient manner.

An LMS Programming Scheme and Floating-Gate Technology Enabled Trimmer-Less and Low Voltage Flame Detection Sensor

PubMed Central

Iglesias-Rojas, Juan Carlos; Gomez-Castañeda, Felipe; Moreno-Cadenas, Jose Antonio

2017-01-01

In this paper, a Least Mean Square (LMS) programming scheme is used to set the offset voltage of two operational amplifiers that were built using floating-gate transistors, enabling a 0.95 VRMS trimmer-less flame detection sensor. The programming scheme is capable of setting the offset voltage over a wide range of values by means of electron injection. The flame detection sensor consists of two programmable offset operational amplifiers; the first amplifier serves as a 26 μV offset voltage follower, whereas the second amplifier acts as a programmable trimmer-less voltage comparator. Both amplifiers form the proposed sensor, whose principle of functionality is based on the detection of the electrical changes produced by the flame ionization. The experimental results show that it is possible to measure the presence of a flame accurately after programming the amplifiers with a maximum of 35 LMS-algorithm iterations. Current commercial flame detectors are mainly used in absorption refrigerators and large industrial gas heaters, where a high voltage AC source and several mechanical trimmings are used in order to accurately measure the presence of the flame. PMID:28613250

Performance Analyses and Improvements for the IEEE 802.15.4 CSMA/CA Scheme with Heterogeneous Buffered Conditions

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jianping; Tao, Zhengsu; Lv, Chunfeng

2012-01-01

Studies of the IEEE 802.15.4 Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme have been received considerable attention recently, with most of these studies focusing on homogeneous or saturated traffic. Two novel transmission schemes—OSTS/BSTS (One Service a Time Scheme/Bulk Service a Time Scheme)—are proposed in this paper to improve the behaviors of time-critical buffered networks with heterogeneous unsaturated traffic. First, we propose a model which contains two modified semi-Markov chains and a macro-Markov chain combined with the theory of M/G/1/K queues to evaluate the characteristics of these two improved CSMA/CA schemes, in which traffic arrivals and accessing packets are bestowed with non-preemptive priority over each other, instead of prioritization. Then, throughput, packet delay and energy consumption of unsaturated, unacknowledged IEEE 802.15.4 beacon-enabled networks are predicted based on the overall point of view which takes the dependent interactions of different types of nodes into account. Moreover, performance comparisons of these two schemes with other non-priority schemes are also proposed. Analysis and simulation results show that delay and fairness of our schemes are superior to those of other schemes, while throughput and energy efficiency are superior to others in more heterogeneous situations. Comprehensive simulations demonstrate that the analysis results of these models match well with the simulation results. PMID:22666076

A Latency and Coverage Optimized Data Collection Scheme for Smart Cities Based on Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks

PubMed Central

Xu, Yixuan; Chen, Xi; Liu, Anfeng; Hu, Chunhua

2017-01-01

Using mobile vehicles as “data mules” to collect data generated by a huge number of sensing devices that are widely spread across smart city is considered to be an economical and effective way of obtaining data about smart cities. However, currently most research focuses on the feasibility of the proposed methods instead of their final performance. In this paper, a latency and coverage optimized data collection (LCODC) scheme is proposed to collect data on smart cities through opportunistic routing. Compared with other schemes, the efficiency of data collection is improved since the data flow in LCODC scheme consists of not only vehicle to device transmission (V2D), but also vehicle to vehicle transmission (V2V). Besides, through data mining on patterns hidden in the smart city, waste and redundancy in the utilization of public resources are mitigated, leading to the easy implementation of our scheme. In detail, no extra supporting device is needed in the LCODC scheme to facilitate data transmission. A large-scale and real-world dataset on Beijing is used to evaluate the LCODC scheme. Results indicate that with very limited costs, the LCODC scheme enables the average latency to decrease from several hours to around 12 min with respect to schemes where V2V transmission is disabled while the coverage rate is able to reach over 30%. PMID:28420218

A Latency and Coverage Optimized Data Collection Scheme for Smart Cities Based on Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks.

PubMed

Xu, Yixuan; Chen, Xi; Liu, Anfeng; Hu, Chunhua

2017-04-18

Using mobile vehicles as "data mules" to collect data generated by a huge number of sensing devices that are widely spread across smart city is considered to be an economical and effective way of obtaining data about smart cities. However, currently most research focuses on the feasibility of the proposed methods instead of their final performance. In this paper, a latency and coverage optimized data collection (LCODC) scheme is proposed to collect data on smart cities through opportunistic routing. Compared with other schemes, the efficiency of data collection is improved since the data flow in LCODC scheme consists of not only vehicle to device transmission (V2D), but also vehicle to vehicle transmission (V2V). Besides, through data mining on patterns hidden in the smart city, waste and redundancy in the utilization of public resources are mitigated, leading to the easy implementation of our scheme. In detail, no extra supporting device is needed in the LCODC scheme to facilitate data transmission. A large-scale and real-world dataset on Beijing is used to evaluate the LCODC scheme. Results indicate that with very limited costs, the LCODC scheme enables the average latency to decrease from several hours to around 12 min with respect to schemes where V2V transmission is disabled while the coverage rate is able to reach over 30%.

Metabolome searcher: a high throughput tool for metabolite identification and metabolic pathway mapping directly from mass spectrometry and using genome restriction.

PubMed

Dhanasekaran, A Ranjitha; Pearson, Jon L; Ganesan, Balasubramanian; Weimer, Bart C

2015-02-25

Mass spectrometric analysis of microbial metabolism provides a long list of possible compounds. Restricting the identification of the possible compounds to those produced by the specific organism would benefit the identification process. Currently, identification of mass spectrometry (MS) data is commonly done using empirically derived compound databases. Unfortunately, most databases contain relatively few compounds, leaving long lists of unidentified molecules. Incorporating genome-encoded metabolism enables MS output identification that may not be included in databases. Using an organism's genome as a database restricts metabolite identification to only those compounds that the organism can produce. To address the challenge of metabolomic analysis from MS data, a web-based application to directly search genome-constructed metabolic databases was developed. The user query returns a genome-restricted list of possible compound identifications along with the putative metabolic pathways based on the name, formula, SMILES structure, and the compound mass as defined by the user. Multiple queries can be done simultaneously by submitting a text file created by the user or obtained from the MS analysis software. The user can also provide parameters specific to the experiment's MS analysis conditions, such as mass deviation, adducts, and detection mode during the query so as to provide additional levels of evidence to produce the tentative identification. The query results are provided as an HTML page and downloadable text file of possible compounds that are restricted to a specific genome. Hyperlinks provided in the HTML file connect the user to the curated metabolic databases housed in ProCyc, a Pathway Tools platform, as well as the KEGG Pathway database for visualization and metabolic pathway analysis. Metabolome Searcher, a web-based tool, facilitates putative compound identification of MS output based on genome-restricted metabolic capability. This enables researchers to rapidly extend the possible identifications of large data sets for metabolites that are not in compound databases. Putative compound names with their associated metabolic pathways from metabolomics data sets are returned to the user for additional biological interpretation and visualization. This novel approach enables compound identification by restricting the possible masses to those encoded in the genome.

Vulnerability-attention analysis for space-related activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Donnie; Hays, Dan; Lee, Sung Yong; Wolfsberger, John

1988-01-01

Techniques for representing and analyzing trouble spots in structures and processes are discussed. Identification of vulnerable areas usually depends more on particular and often detailed knowledge than on algorithmic or mathematical procedures. In some cases, machine inference can facilitate the identification. The analysis scheme proposed first establishes the geometry of the process, then marks areas that are conditionally vulnerable. This provides a basis for advice on the kinds of human attention or machine sensing and control that can make the risks tolerable.

Multi-stage robust scheme for citrus identification from high resolution airborne images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amorós-López, Julia; Izquierdo Verdiguier, Emma; Gómez-Chova, Luis; Muñoz-Marí, Jordi; Zoilo Rodríguez-Barreiro, Jorge; Camps-Valls, Gustavo; Calpe-Maravilla, Javier

2008-10-01

Identification of land cover types is one of the most critical activities in remote sensing. Nowadays, managing land resources by using remote sensing techniques is becoming a common procedure to speed up the process while reducing costs. However, data analysis procedures should satisfy the accuracy figures demanded by institutions and governments for further administrative actions. This paper presents a methodological scheme to update the citrus Geographical Information Systems (GIS) of the Comunidad Valenciana autonomous region, Spain). The proposed approach introduces a multi-stage automatic scheme to reduce visual photointerpretation and ground validation tasks. First, an object-oriented feature extraction process is carried out for each cadastral parcel from very high spatial resolution (VHR) images (0.5m) acquired in the visible and near infrared. Next, several automatic classifiers (decision trees, multilayer perceptron, and support vector machines) are trained and combined to improve the final accuracy of the results. The proposed strategy fulfills the high accuracy demanded by policy makers by means of combining automatic classification methods with visual photointerpretation available resources. A level of confidence based on the agreement between classifiers allows us an effective management by fixing the quantity of parcels to be reviewed. The proposed methodology can be applied to similar problems and applications.

Target identification using Zernike moments and neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azimi-Sadjadi, Mahmood R.; Jamshidi, Arta A.; Nevis, Andrew J.

2001-10-01

The development of an underwater target identification algorithm capable of identifying various types of underwater targets, such as mines, under different environmental conditions pose many technical problems. Some of the contributing factors are: targets have diverse sizes, shapes and reflectivity properties. Target emplacement environment is variable; targets may be proud or partially buried. Environmental properties vary significantly from one location to another. Bottom features such as sand, rocks, corals, and vegetation can conceal a target whether it is partially buried or proud. Competing clutter with responses that closely resemble those of the targets may lead to false positives. All the problems mentioned above contribute to overly difficult and challenging conditions that could lead to unreliable algorithm performance with existing methods. In this paper, we developed and tested a shape-dependent feature extraction scheme that provides features invariant to rotation, size scaling and translation; properties that are extremely useful for any target classification problem. The developed schemes were tested on an electro-optical imagery data set collected under different environmental conditions with variable background, range and target types. The electro-optic data set was collected using a Laser Line Scan (LLS) sensor by the Coastal Systems Station (CSS), located in Panama City, Florida. The performance of the developed scheme and its robustness to distortion, rotation, scaling and translation was also studied.

Systems and Methods for RFID-Enabled Pressure Sensing Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kennedy, Timothy F. (Inventor); Lin, Gregory Y. (Inventor); Ngo, Phong H. (Inventor); Fink, Patrick W. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications ("RSSI") of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

Systems and Methods for RFID-Enabled Dispenser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Patrick W. (Inventor); Kennedy, Timothy F. (Inventor); Lin, Gregory Y. (Inventor); Ngo, Phong H. (Inventor); Byerly, Diane (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications ("RSSI") of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

Systems and Methods for RFID-Enabled Pressure Sensing Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Gregory Y. (Inventor); Ngo, Phong H. (Inventor); Kennedy, Timothy F. (Inventor); Fink, Patrick W. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications ("RSSI") of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

System and Method for RFID-Enabled Information Collection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Patrick W. (Inventor); Kennedy, Timothy F. (Inventor); Lin, Gregory Y. (Inventor); Ngo, Phong H. (Inventor); Byerly, Diane (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications ("RSSI") of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.

Reducing maternal mortality from ruptured uterus--the Sokoto initiative.

PubMed

Ahmed, Y; Shehu, C E; Nwobodo, E I; Ekele, B A

2004-06-01

Uterine rupture is the most common cause of maternal mortality in our institution. Case fatality for the year 2001 was 47%. Health care including emergency obstetric care (EmOC) is not free, hence, delays in receiving care could occur in patients with limited resources. The objectives of the study were to promote access to emergency obstetric care through a loan scheme for indigent patients with ruptured uterus and determine the success or otherwise of the scheme. The scheme was initiated in January 2002, with the sum of thirty eight Thousand Naira (about 300 US dollars) by consultant obstetricians in the department. Funds were released to the patient only after assessment of her financial capability to enable her get emergency surgical packs. All that was required was a promise to pay back the loan before discharge. Following resuscitation, surgery was performed by one of the consultants. Eighteen cases of ruptured uterus have been managed. Treatment was initiated within 30 minutes of admission. Admission-laparotomy interval averaged 3.5 hours (+/-1.2). There were two maternal deaths, giving a case fatality of 11% (2/ 18). The case fatality from a previous study from the same centre was 38% (16/42). There was a significant difference in case fatality between the two studies (P<0.05; confidence limits are-0.328 and -0.211). Of the seventeen patients that benefited from the scheme, 16 repaid the loan before discharge (94% loan recovery). Only one patient defaulted with five thousand Naira (40 US dollars). A loan scheme for indigent patients with ruptured uterus that enabled them receive emergency obstetric care reduced case fatality. Loan recovery was good. In our quest to reduce maternal mortality in low-income countries without health insurance policies, there might be a need to extend similar initiative to other obstetric emergencies.

Location verification algorithm of wearable sensors for wireless body area networks.

PubMed

Wang, Hua; Wen, Yingyou; Zhao, Dazhe

2018-01-01

Knowledge of the location of sensor devices is crucial for many medical applications of wireless body area networks, as wearable sensors are designed to monitor vital signs of a patient while the wearer still has the freedom of movement. However, clinicians or patients can misplace the wearable sensors, thereby causing a mismatch between their physical locations and their correct target positions. An error of more than a few centimeters raises the risk of mistreating patients. The present study aims to develop a scheme to calculate and detect the position of wearable sensors without beacon nodes. A new scheme was proposed to verify the location of wearable sensors mounted on the patient's body by inferring differences in atmospheric air pressure and received signal strength indication measurements from wearable sensors. Extensive two-sample t tests were performed to validate the proposed scheme. The proposed scheme could easily recognize a 30-cm horizontal body range and a 65-cm vertical body range to correctly perform sensor localization and limb identification. All experiments indicate that the scheme is suitable for identifying wearable sensor positions in an indoor environment.

Experiments in encoding multilevel images as quadtrees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansing, Donald L.

1987-01-01

Image storage requirements for several encoding methods are investigated and the use of quadtrees with multigray level or multicolor images are explored. The results of encoding a variety of images having up to 256 gray levels using three schemes (full raster, runlength and quadtree) are presented. Although there is considerable literature on the use of quadtrees to store and manipulate binary images, their application to multilevel images is relatively undeveloped. The potential advantage of quadtree encoding is that an entire area with a uniform gray level may be encoded as a unit. A pointerless quadtree encoding scheme is described. Data are presented on the size of the quadtree required to encode selected images and on the relative storage requirements of the three encoding schemes. A segmentation scheme based on the statistical variation of gray levels within a quadtree quadrant is described. This parametric scheme may be used to control the storage required by an encoded image and to preprocess a scene for feature identification. Several sets of black and white and pseudocolor images obtained by varying the segmentation parameter are shown.

OCLC Participating Institutions: Arranged by Network and Subarranged by Institution Name.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc., Dublin, OH.

This directory of institutions participating in the Ohio College Library Center (OCLC) presents the following information for each: assigned OCLC symbol, institution name and address, affiliated network, classification scheme in use, and identification symbol assigned by Library of Congress. (SC)

An Enhanced Privacy-Preserving Authentication Scheme for Vehicle Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Zhou, Yousheng; Zhao, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Yi; Shang, Fengjun; Deng, Shaojiang; Wang, Xiaojun

2017-12-08

Vehicle sensor networks (VSNs) are ushering in a promising future by enabling more intelligent transportation systems and providing a more efficient driving experience. However, because of their inherent openness, VSNs are subject to a large number of potential security threats. Although various authentication schemes have been proposed for addressing security problems, they are not suitable for VSN applications because of their high computation and communication costs. Chuang and Lee have developed a trust-extended authentication mechanism (TEAM) for vehicle-to-vehicle communication using a transitive trust relationship, which they claim can resist various attacks. However, it fails to counter internal attacks because of the utilization of a shared secret key. In this paper, to eliminate the vulnerability of TEAM, an enhanced privacy-preserving authentication scheme for VSNs is constructed. The security of our proposed scheme is proven under the random oracle model based on the assumption of the computational Diffie-Hellman problem.

Design of a Variational Multiscale Method for Turbulent Compressible Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diosady, Laslo Tibor; Murman, Scott M.

2013-01-01

A spectral-element framework is presented for the simulation of subsonic compressible high-Reynolds-number flows. The focus of the work is maximizing the efficiency of the computational schemes to enable unsteady simulations with a large number of spatial and temporal degrees of freedom. A collocation scheme is combined with optimized computational kernels to provide a residual evaluation with computational cost independent of order of accuracy up to 16th order. The optimized residual routines are used to develop a low-memory implicit scheme based on a matrix-free Newton-Krylov method. A preconditioner based on the finite-difference diagonalized ADI scheme is developed which maintains the low memory of the matrix-free implicit solver, while providing improved convergence properties. Emphasis on low memory usage throughout the solver development is leveraged to implement a coupled space-time DG solver which may offer further efficiency gains through adaptivity in both space and time.

An Enhanced Privacy-Preserving Authentication Scheme for Vehicle Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yousheng; Zhao, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Yi; Shang, Fengjun; Deng, Shaojiang; Wang, Xiaojun

2017-01-01

Vehicle sensor networks (VSNs) are ushering in a promising future by enabling more intelligent transportation systems and providing a more efficient driving experience. However, because of their inherent openness, VSNs are subject to a large number of potential security threats. Although various authentication schemes have been proposed for addressing security problems, they are not suitable for VSN applications because of their high computation and communication costs. Chuang and Lee have developed a trust-extended authentication mechanism (TEAM) for vehicle-to-vehicle communication using a transitive trust relationship, which they claim can resist various attacks. However, it fails to counter internal attacks because of the utilization of a shared secret key. In this paper, to eliminate the vulnerability of TEAM, an enhanced privacy-preserving authentication scheme for VSNs is constructed. The security of our proposed scheme is proven under the random oracle model based on the assumption of the computational Diffie–Hellman problem. PMID:29292792

An evaluation of a Books on Prescription scheme in a UK public library authority.

PubMed

Furness, Rebecca; Casselden, Biddy

2012-12-01

This article discusses an evaluation of a Books on Prescription (BOP) scheme in a UK public library authority. The research was carried out by Rebecca Furness and submitted as a dissertation for the MSc Information and Library Management to Northumbria University. The dissertation was supervised by Biddy Casselden at Northumbria University and was awarded a distinction. The dissertation identified areas for development for BOP schemes and made specific recommendations that could make the schemes more accessible, enabling significant numbers of people to lead more fulfilling lives. Because this study focuses on mental health and the role that UK public libraries have in supporting well-being, it is a good illustration of the wide-ranging nature of subjects welcomed for the Dissertations into practice feature. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

Urea Biosynthesis Using Liver Slices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teal, A. R.

1976-01-01

Presented is a practical scheme to enable introductory biology students to investigate the mechanism by which urea is synthesized in the liver. The tissue-slice technique is discussed, and methods for the quantitative analysis of metabolites are presented. (Author/SL)

A Game Theoretic Framework for Analyzing Re-Identification Risk

PubMed Central

Wan, Zhiyu; Vorobeychik, Yevgeniy; Xia, Weiyi; Clayton, Ellen Wright; Kantarcioglu, Murat; Ganta, Ranjit; Heatherly, Raymond; Malin, Bradley A.

2015-01-01

Given the potential wealth of insights in personal data the big databases can provide, many organizations aim to share data while protecting privacy by sharing de-identified data, but are concerned because various demonstrations show such data can be re-identified. Yet these investigations focus on how attacks can be perpetrated, not the likelihood they will be realized. This paper introduces a game theoretic framework that enables a publisher to balance re-identification risk with the value of sharing data, leveraging a natural assumption that a recipient only attempts re-identification if its potential gains outweigh the costs. We apply the framework to a real case study, where the value of the data to the publisher is the actual grant funding dollar amounts from a national sponsor and the re-identification gain of the recipient is the fine paid to a regulator for violation of federal privacy rules. There are three notable findings: 1) it is possible to achieve zero risk, in that the recipient never gains from re-identification, while sharing almost as much data as the optimal solution that allows for a small amount of risk; 2) the zero-risk solution enables sharing much more data than a commonly invoked de-identification policy of the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); and 3) a sensitivity analysis demonstrates these findings are robust to order-of-magnitude changes in player losses and gains. In combination, these findings provide support that such a framework can enable pragmatic policy decisions about de-identified data sharing. PMID:25807380

Quantum computing on encrypted data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, K. A. G.; Broadbent, A.; Shalm, L. K.; Yan, Z.; Lavoie, J.; Prevedel, R.; Jennewein, T.; Resch, K. J.

2014-01-01

The ability to perform computations on encrypted data is a powerful tool for protecting privacy. Recently, protocols to achieve this on classical computing systems have been found. Here, we present an efficient solution to the quantum analogue of this problem that enables arbitrary quantum computations to be carried out on encrypted quantum data. We prove that an untrusted server can implement a universal set of quantum gates on encrypted quantum bits (qubits) without learning any information about the inputs, while the client, knowing the decryption key, can easily decrypt the results of the computation. We experimentally demonstrate, using single photons and linear optics, the encryption and decryption scheme on a set of gates sufficient for arbitrary quantum computations. As our protocol requires few extra resources compared with other schemes it can be easily incorporated into the design of future quantum servers. These results will play a key role in enabling the development of secure distributed quantum systems.

Micromotion-enabled improvement of quantum logic gates with trapped ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bermudez, Alejandro; Schindler, Philipp; Monz, Thomas; Blatt, Rainer; Müller, Markus

2017-11-01

The micromotion of ion crystals confined in Paul traps is usually considered an inconvenient nuisance, and is thus typically minimized in high-precision experiments such as high-fidelity quantum gates for quantum information processing (QIP). In this work, we introduce a particular scheme where this behavior can be reversed, making micromotion beneficial for QIP. We show that using laser-driven micromotion sidebands, it is possible to engineer state-dependent dipole forces with a reduced effect of off-resonant couplings to the carrier transition. This allows one, in a certain parameter regime, to devise entangling gate schemes based on geometric phase gates with both a higher speed and a lower error, which is attractive in light of current efforts towards fault-tolerant QIP. We discuss the prospects of reaching the parameters required to observe this micromotion-enabled improvement in experiments with current and future trap designs.

Quantum computing on encrypted data.

PubMed

Fisher, K A G; Broadbent, A; Shalm, L K; Yan, Z; Lavoie, J; Prevedel, R; Jennewein, T; Resch, K J

2014-01-01

The ability to perform computations on encrypted data is a powerful tool for protecting privacy. Recently, protocols to achieve this on classical computing systems have been found. Here, we present an efficient solution to the quantum analogue of this problem that enables arbitrary quantum computations to be carried out on encrypted quantum data. We prove that an untrusted server can implement a universal set of quantum gates on encrypted quantum bits (qubits) without learning any information about the inputs, while the client, knowing the decryption key, can easily decrypt the results of the computation. We experimentally demonstrate, using single photons and linear optics, the encryption and decryption scheme on a set of gates sufficient for arbitrary quantum computations. As our protocol requires few extra resources compared with other schemes it can be easily incorporated into the design of future quantum servers. These results will play a key role in enabling the development of secure distributed quantum systems.

Impact of the Parameter Identification of Plastic Potentials on the Finite Element Simulation of Sheet Metal Forming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabahallah, M.; Bouvier, S.; Balan, T.; Bacroix, B.; Teodosiu, C.

2007-04-01

In this work, an implicit, backward Euler time integration scheme is developed for an anisotropic, elastic-plastic model based on strain-rate potentials. The constitutive algorithm includes a sub-stepping procedure to deal with the strong nonlinearity of the plastic potentials when applied to FCC materials. The algorithm is implemented in the static implicit version of the Abaqus finite element code. Several recent plastic potentials have been implemented in this framework. The most accurate potentials require the identification of about twenty material parameters. Both mechanical tests and micromechanical simulations have been used for their identification, for a number of BCC and FCC materials. The impact of the identification procedure on the prediction of ears in cup drawing is investigated.

Data acquisition and path selection decision making for an autonomous roving vehicle. [laser pointing control system for vehicle guidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, C. N.; YERAZUNIS

1979-01-01

The feasibility of using range/pointing angle data such as might be obtained by a laser rangefinder for the purpose of terrain evaluation in the 10-40 meter range on which to base the guidance of an autonomous rover was investigated. The decision procedure of the rapid estimation scheme for the detection of discrete obstacles has been modified to reinforce the detection ability. With the introduction of the logarithmic scanning scheme and obstacle identification scheme, previously developed algorithms are combined to demonstrate the overall performance of the intergrated route designation system using laser rangefinder. In an attempt to cover a greater range, 30 m to 100 mm, the problem estimating gradients in the presence of positioning angle noise at middle range is investigated.

New features to the night sky radiance model illumina: Hyperspectral support, improved obstacles and cloud reflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubé, M.; Simoneau, A.

2018-05-01

Illumina is one of the most physically detailed artificial night sky brightness model to date. It has been in continuous development since 2005 [1]. In 2016-17, many improvements were made to the Illumina code including an overhead cloud scheme, an improved blocking scheme for subgrid obstacles (trees and buildings), and most importantly, a full hyperspectral modeling approach. Code optimization resulted in significant reduction in execution time enabling users to run the model on standard personal computers for some applications. After describing the new schemes introduced in the model, we give some examples of applications for a peri-urban and a rural site both located inside the International Dark Sky reserve of Mont-Mégantic (QC, Canada).

Multiresolution motion planning for autonomous agents via wavelet-based cell decompositions.

PubMed

Cowlagi, Raghvendra V; Tsiotras, Panagiotis

2012-10-01

We present a path- and motion-planning scheme that is "multiresolution" both in the sense of representing the environment with high accuracy only locally and in the sense of addressing the vehicle kinematic and dynamic constraints only locally. The proposed scheme uses rectangular multiresolution cell decompositions, efficiently generated using the wavelet transform. The wavelet transform is widely used in signal and image processing, with emerging applications in autonomous sensing and perception systems. The proposed motion planner enables the simultaneous use of the wavelet transform in both the perception and in the motion-planning layers of vehicle autonomy, thus potentially reducing online computations. We rigorously prove the completeness of the proposed path-planning scheme, and we provide numerical simulation results to illustrate its efficacy.

Picometer-resolution dual-comb spectroscopy with a free-running fiber laser.

PubMed

Zhao, Xin; Hu, Guoqing; Zhao, Bofeng; Li, Cui; Pan, Yingling; Liu, Ya; Yasui, Takeshi; Zheng, Zheng

2016-09-19

Dual-comb spectroscopy holds the promise as real-time, high-resolution spectroscopy tools. However, in its conventional schemes, the stringent requirement on the coherence between two lasers requires sophisticated control systems. By replacing control electronics with an all-optical dual-comb lasing scheme, a simplified dual-comb spectroscopy scheme is demonstrated using one dual-wavelength, passively mode-locked fiber laser. Pulses with a intracavity-dispersion-determined repetition-frequency difference are shown to have good mutual coherence and stability. Capability to resolve the comb teeth and a picometer-wide optical spectral resolution are demonstrated using a simple data acquisition system. Energy-efficient, free-running fiber lasers with a small comb-tooth-spacing could enable low-cost dual-comb systems.

Multilocus sequence analysis of phytopathogenic species of the genus Streptomyces

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The identification and classification of species within the genus Streptomyces is difficult because there are presently 576 validly described species and this number increases every year. The value of the application of multilocus sequence analysis scheme to the systematics of Streptomyces species h...

Fault-tolerant optimised tracking control for unknown discrete-time linear systems using a combined reinforcement learning and residual compensation methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Ke-Zhen; Feng, Jian; Cui, Xiaohong

2017-10-01

This paper considers the fault-tolerant optimised tracking control (FTOTC) problem for unknown discrete-time linear system. A research scheme is proposed on the basis of data-based parity space identification, reinforcement learning and residual compensation techniques. The main characteristic of this research scheme lies in the parity-space-identification-based simultaneous tracking control and residual compensation. The specific technical line consists of four main contents: apply subspace aided method to design observer-based residual generator; use reinforcement Q-learning approach to solve optimised tracking control policy; rely on robust H∞ theory to achieve noise attenuation; adopt fault estimation triggered by residual generator to perform fault compensation. To clarify the design and implementation procedures, an integrated algorithm is further constructed to link up these four functional units. The detailed analysis and proof are subsequently given to explain the guaranteed FTOTC performance of the proposed conclusions. Finally, a case simulation is provided to verify its effectiveness.

Unequal error control scheme for dimmable visible light communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Keyan; Yuan, Lei; Wan, Yi; Li, Huaan

2017-01-01

Visible light communication (VLC), which has the advantages of a very large bandwidth, high security, and freedom from license-related restrictions and electromagnetic-interference, has attracted much interest. Because a VLC system simultaneously performs illumination and communication functions, dimming control, efficiency, and reliable transmission are significant and challenging issues of such systems. In this paper, we propose a novel unequal error control (UEC) scheme in which expanding window fountain (EWF) codes in an on-off keying (OOK)-based VLC system are used to support different dimming target values. To evaluate the performance of the scheme for various dimming target values, we apply it to H.264 scalable video coding bitstreams in a VLC system. The results of the simulations that are performed using additive white Gaussian noises (AWGNs) with different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are used to compare the performance of the proposed scheme for various dimming target values. It is found that the proposed UEC scheme enables earlier base layer recovery compared to the use of the equal error control (EEC) scheme for different dimming target values and therefore afford robust transmission for scalable video multicast over optical wireless channels. This is because of the unequal error protection (UEP) and unequal recovery time (URT) of the EWF code in the proposed scheme.

Extended version of the "Sniffin' Sticks" identification test: test-retest reliability and validity.

PubMed

Sorokowska, A; Albrecht, E; Haehner, A; Hummel, T

2015-03-30

The extended, 32-item version of the Sniffin' Sticks identification test was developed in order to create a precise tool enabling repeated, longitudinal testing of individual olfactory subfunctions. Odors of the previous test version had to be changed for technical reasons, and the odor identification test needed re-investigation in terms of reliability, validity, and normative values. In our study we investigated olfactory abilities of a group of 100 patients with olfactory dysfunction and 100 controls. We reconfirmed the high test-retest reliability of the extended version of the Sniffin' Sticks identification test and high correlations between the new and the original part of this tool. In addition, we confirmed the validity of the test as it discriminated clearly between controls and patients with olfactory loss. The additional set of 16 odor identification sticks can be either included in the current olfactory test, thus creating a more detailed diagnosis tool, or it can be used separately, enabling to follow olfactory function over time. Additionally, the normative values presented in our paper might provide useful guidelines for interpretation of the extended identification test results. The revised version of the Sniffin' Sticks 32-item odor identification test is a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of olfactory function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incidence of antibiotic resistance in coliforms from drinking water and their identification using the Biolog and the API identification systems.

PubMed

Tokajian, S; Hashwa, F

2004-02-01

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were common in samples collected from an intermittent water distribution system in Lebanon. Multiply-resistant isolates were also present and most commonly to amoxycillin, cephalexin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. The aminoglycosides (amikacin, gentamicin and kanamycin) were the most effective, with almost all tested strains showing susceptibility to these antimicrobial agents. Both the Biolog GN MicroPlates and the API 20E strips can be used for the identification of coliform bacteria isolated from potable water, but the outcome of the identification should be viewed with caution. 51% of isolates were assigned similar identities by both the Biolog MicroPlates and the API 20E strips. The similarity at the species level was lower (33%) compared to that at the genus level (67%). The identification of Escherichia coli strains, which represented 30% of all tested organisms, showed 95% similarity in the assigned genus and species using both identification schemes.

An atomistic simulation scheme for modeling crystal formation from solution.

PubMed

Kawska, Agnieszka; Brickmann, Jürgen; Kniep, Rüdiger; Hochrein, Oliver; Zahn, Dirk

2006-01-14

We present an atomistic simulation scheme for investigating crystal growth from solution. Molecular-dynamics simulation studies of such processes typically suffer from considerable limitations concerning both system size and simulation times. In our method this time-length scale problem is circumvented by an iterative scheme which combines a Monte Carlo-type approach for the identification of ion adsorption sites and, after each growth step, structural optimization of the ion cluster and the solvent by means of molecular-dynamics simulation runs. An important approximation of our method is based on assuming full structural relaxation of the aggregates between each of the growth steps. This concept only holds for compounds of low solubility. To illustrate our method we studied CaF2 aggregate growth from aqueous solution, which may be taken as prototypes for compounds of very low solubility. The limitations of our simulation scheme are illustrated by the example of NaCl aggregation from aqueous solution, which corresponds to a solute/solvent combination of very high salt solubility.

Level-set techniques for facies identification in reservoir modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglesias, Marco A.; McLaughlin, Dennis

2011-03-01

In this paper we investigate the application of level-set techniques for facies identification in reservoir models. The identification of facies is a geometrical inverse ill-posed problem that we formulate in terms of shape optimization. The goal is to find a region (a geologic facies) that minimizes the misfit between predicted and measured data from an oil-water reservoir. In order to address the shape optimization problem, we present a novel application of the level-set iterative framework developed by Burger in (2002 Interfaces Free Bound. 5 301-29 2004 Inverse Problems 20 259-82) for inverse obstacle problems. The optimization is constrained by (the reservoir model) a nonlinear large-scale system of PDEs that describes the reservoir dynamics. We reformulate this reservoir model in a weak (integral) form whose shape derivative can be formally computed from standard results of shape calculus. At each iteration of the scheme, the current estimate of the shape derivative is utilized to define a velocity in the level-set equation. The proper selection of this velocity ensures that the new shape decreases the cost functional. We present results of facies identification where the velocity is computed with the gradient-based (GB) approach of Burger (2002) and the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) technique of Burger (2004). While an adjoint formulation allows the straightforward application of the GB approach, the LM technique requires the computation of the large-scale Karush-Kuhn-Tucker system that arises at each iteration of the scheme. We efficiently solve this system by means of the representer method. We present some synthetic experiments to show and compare the capabilities and limitations of the proposed implementations of level-set techniques for the identification of geologic facies.

Finger-Vein Verification Based on Multi-Features Fusion

PubMed Central

Qin, Huafeng; Qin, Lan; Xue, Lian; He, Xiping; Yu, Chengbo; Liang, Xinyuan

2013-01-01

This paper presents a new scheme to improve the performance of finger-vein identification systems. Firstly, a vein pattern extraction method to extract the finger-vein shape and orientation features is proposed. Secondly, to accommodate the potential local and global variations at the same time, a region-based matching scheme is investigated by employing the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) matching method. Finally, the finger-vein shape, orientation and SIFT features are combined to further enhance the performance. The experimental results on databases of 426 and 170 fingers demonstrate the consistent superiority of the proposed approach. PMID:24196433

Applying graphics user interface ot group technology classification and coding at the Boeing aerospace company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ness, P. H.; Jacobson, H.

1984-10-01

The thrust of 'group technology' is toward the exploitation of similarities in component design and manufacturing process plans to achieve assembly line flow cost efficiencies for small batch production. The systematic method devised for the identification of similarities in component geometry and processing steps is a coding and classification scheme implemented by interactive CAD/CAM systems. This coding and classification scheme has led to significant increases in computer processing power, allowing rapid searches and retrievals on the basis of a 30-digit code together with user-friendly computer graphics.

A new approach for cancelable iris recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kai; Sui, Yan; Zhou, Zhi; Du, Yingzi; Zou, Xukai

2010-04-01

The iris is a stable and reliable biometric for positive human identification. However, the traditional iris recognition scheme raises several privacy concerns. One's iris pattern is permanently bound with him and cannot be changed. Hence, once it is stolen, this biometric is lost forever as well as all the applications where this biometric is used. Thus, new methods are desirable to secure the original pattern and ensure its revocability and alternatives when compromised. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme which incorporates iris features, non-invertible transformation and data encryption to achieve "cancelability" and at the same time increases iris recognition accuracy.

Communication Optimizations for a Wireless Distributed Prognostic Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saha, Sankalita; Saha, Bhaskar; Goebel, Kai

2009-01-01

Distributed architecture for prognostics is an essential step in prognostic research in order to enable feasible real-time system health management. Communication overhead is an important design problem for such systems. In this paper we focus on communication issues faced in the distributed implementation of an important class of algorithms for prognostics - particle filters. In spite of being computation and memory intensive, particle filters lend well to distributed implementation except for one significant step - resampling. We propose new resampling scheme called parameterized resampling that attempts to reduce communication between collaborating nodes in a distributed wireless sensor network. Analysis and comparison with relevant resampling schemes is also presented. A battery health management system is used as a target application. A new resampling scheme for distributed implementation of particle filters has been discussed in this paper. Analysis and comparison of this new scheme with existing resampling schemes in the context for minimizing communication overhead have also been discussed. Our proposed new resampling scheme performs significantly better compared to other schemes by attempting to reduce both the communication message length as well as number total communication messages exchanged while not compromising prediction accuracy and precision. Future work will explore the effects of the new resampling scheme in the overall computational performance of the whole system as well as full implementation of the new schemes on the Sun SPOT devices. Exploring different network architectures for efficient communication is an importance future research direction as well.

Processing line for industrial radiation-thermal synthesis of doped lithium ferrite powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surzhikov, A. P.; Galtseva, O. V.; Vasendina, E. A.; Vlasov, V. A.; Nikolaev, E. V.

2016-02-01

The paper considers the issues of industrial production of doped lithium ferrite powders by radiation-thermal method. A technological scheme of the processing line is suggested. The radiation-thermal technological scheme enables production of powders with technical characteristics close to the required ones under relatively low temperature annealing conditions without intermediate mixing. The optimal conditions of the radiation-thermal synthesis are achieved isothermally under irradiation by the electron beam with energy of 2.5 MeV in the temperature range of 700-750 0C within- 120 min.

A secure user anonymity-preserving three-factor remote user authentication scheme for the telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Das, Ashok Kumar

2015-03-01

Recent advanced technology enables the telecare medicine information system (TMIS) for the patients to gain the health monitoring facility at home and also to access medical services over the Internet of mobile networks. Several remote user authentication schemes have been proposed in the literature for TMIS. However, most of them are either insecure against various known attacks or they are inefficient. Recently, Tan proposed an efficient user anonymity preserving three-factor authentication scheme for TMIS. In this paper, we show that though Tan's scheme is efficient, it has several security drawbacks such as (1) it fails to provide proper authentication during the login phase, (2) it fails to provide correct updation of password and biometric of a user during the password and biometric update phase, and (3) it fails to protect against replay attack. In addition, Tan's scheme lacks the formal security analysis and verification. Later, Arshad and Nikooghadam also pointed out some security flaws in Tan's scheme and then presented an improvement on Tan's s scheme. However, we show that Arshad and Nikooghadam's scheme is still insecure against the privileged-insider attack through the stolen smart-card attack, and it also lacks the formal security analysis and verification. In order to withstand those security loopholes found in both Tan's scheme, and Arshad and Nikooghadam's scheme, we aim to propose an effective and more secure three-factor remote user authentication scheme for TMIS. Our scheme provides the user anonymity property. Through the rigorous informal and formal security analysis using random oracle models and the widely-accepted AVISPA (Automated Validation of Internet Security Protocols and Applications) tool, we show that our scheme is secure against various known attacks, including the replay and man-in-the-middle attacks. Furthermore, our scheme is also efficient as compared to other related schemes.

Comparison of wavelet based denoising schemes for gear condition monitoring: An Artificial Neural Network based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Rounaq; Srinivasa Pai, P.; Sriram, N. S.; Bhat, Vasudeva

2018-02-01

Vibration Analysis has been extensively used in recent past for gear fault diagnosis. The vibration signals extracted is usually contaminated with noise and may lead to wrong interpretation of results. The denoising of extracted vibration signals helps the fault diagnosis by giving meaningful results. Wavelet Transform (WT) increases signal to noise ratio (SNR), reduces root mean square error (RMSE) and is effective to denoise the gear vibration signals. The extracted signals have to be denoised by selecting a proper denoising scheme in order to prevent the loss of signal information along with noise. An approach has been made in this work to show the effectiveness of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to denoise gear vibration signal. In this regard three selected wavelet based denoising schemes namely PCA, Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), Neighcoeff Coefficient (NC), has been compared with Adaptive Threshold (AT) an extensively used wavelet based denoising scheme for gear vibration signal. The vibration signals acquired from a customized gear test rig were denoised by above mentioned four denoising schemes. The fault identification capability as well as SNR, Kurtosis and RMSE for the four denoising schemes have been compared. Features extracted from the denoised signals have been used to train and test artificial neural network (ANN) models. The performances of the four denoising schemes have been evaluated based on the performance of the ANN models. The best denoising scheme has been identified, based on the classification accuracy results. PCA is effective in all the regards as a best denoising scheme.

76 FR 2011 - High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act; Identification and Certification Procedures...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-12

... unauthorized or other IUU catch; Catch and effort monitoring, including licensing and permitting schemes, reporting, and vessel monitoring systems (VMS); Bycatch reduction and mitigation strategies and techniques... effective sanctions and monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) capacity; and Participation in voluntary...

Application of statistical process control and process capability analysis procedures in orbiter processing activities at the Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safford, Robert R.; Jackson, Andrew E.; Swart, William W.; Barth, Timothy S.

1994-01-01

Successful ground processing at KSC requires that flight hardware and ground support equipment conform to specifications at tens of thousands of checkpoints. Knowledge of conformance is an essential requirement for launch. That knowledge of conformance at every requisite point does not, however, enable identification of past problems with equipment, or potential problem areas. This paper describes how the introduction of Statistical Process Control and Process Capability Analysis identification procedures into existing shuttle processing procedures can enable identification of potential problem areas and candidates for improvements to increase processing performance measures. Results of a case study describing application of the analysis procedures to Thermal Protection System processing are used to illustrate the benefits of the approaches described in the paper.

Automated identification of abnormal metaphase chromosome cells for the detection of chronic myeloid leukemia using microscopic images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xingwei; Zheng, Bin; Li, Shibo; Mulvihill, John J.; Chen, Xiaodong; Liu, Hong

2010-07-01

Karyotyping is an important process to classify chromosomes into standard classes and the results are routinely used by the clinicians to diagnose cancers and genetic diseases. However, visual karyotyping using microscopic images is time-consuming and tedious, which reduces the diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. Although many efforts have been made to develop computerized schemes for automated karyotyping, no schemes can get be performed without substantial human intervention. Instead of developing a method to classify all chromosome classes, we develop an automatic scheme to detect abnormal metaphase cells by identifying a specific class of chromosomes (class 22) and prescreen for suspicious chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The scheme includes three steps: (1) iteratively segment randomly distributed individual chromosomes, (2) process segmented chromosomes and compute image features to identify the candidates, and (3) apply an adaptive matching template to identify chromosomes of class 22. An image data set of 451 metaphase cells extracted from bone marrow specimens of 30 positive and 30 negative cases for CML is selected to test the scheme's performance. The overall case-based classification accuracy is 93.3% (100% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity). The results demonstrate the feasibility of applying an automated scheme to detect or prescreen the suspicious cancer cases.

20180318 - Using the US EPA's CompTox Chemistry Dashboard for structure identification and non-targeted analyses (ACS Spring)

EPA Science Inventory

The CompTox Chemistry Dashboard provides access to data for ~760,000 chemicals. High quality curated data and rich metadata facilitates mass spec analysis. “MS-Ready” processed data enables structure identification.

Susceptibility of the Batoka Gorge hydroelectric scheme to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Gareth P.; Whittington, H.(Bert) W.

2002-07-01

The continuing and increased use of renewable energy sources, including hydropower, is a key strategy to limit the extent of future climate change. Paradoxically, climate change itself may alter the availability of this natural resource, adversely affecting the financial viability of both existing and potential schemes. Here, a model is described that enables the assessment of the relationship between changes in climate and the viability, technical and financial, of hydro development. The planned Batoka Gorge scheme on the Zambezi River is used as a case study to validate the model and to predict the impact of climate change on river flows, electricity production and scheme financial performance. The model was found to perform well, given the inherent difficulties in the task, although there is concern regarding the ability of the hydrological model to reproduce the historic flow conditions of the upper Zambezi Basin. Simulations with climate change scenarios illustrate the sensitivity of the Batoka Gorge scheme to changes in climate. They suggest significant reductions in river flows, declining power production, reductions in electricity sales revenue and consequently an adverse impact on a range of investment measures.

New quantum properties of phonons and their detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Artoni, Maurizo; Birman, Joseph L.

1994-01-01

We present a theoretical investigation on new and interesting properties of the phonon polarization field in solids. In particular, non-classical aspects of the phonon population and an experimental scheme that would enable one to detect them will be discussed.

Advances in Analysis and Detection of Explosives. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Analysis and Detection of Explosives (4th), Held in Jerusalem, Israel on September 7-10, 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

by Supercritical Fluid Extraction in Explosives; The Semtex-H Story; The Identification of Organic Peroxides; Slurry and Emulsion...Among the topics presented at this symposium were: Birmingham Six Pub Bombing Case (Keynote Lecture); A Scheme for the Analysis of Explosives and...Explosives: New Tools for Terrorists, New Challenges, for Detection and Identification; The Work of the Explosives and Gunshot Residues Unit of the Forensic Science Service (UK)

The application of Legendre-tau approximation to parameter identification for delay and partial differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ito, K.

1983-01-01

Approximation schemes based on Legendre-tau approximation are developed for application to parameter identification problem for delay and partial differential equations. The tau method is based on representing the approximate solution as a truncated series of orthonormal functions. The characteristic feature of the Legendre-tau approach is that when the solution to a problem is infinitely differentiable, the rate of convergence is faster than any finite power of 1/N; higher accuracy is thus achieved, making the approach suitable for small N.

Quantitative evaluation of first, second, and third generation hairpin systems reveals the limit of mammalian vector-based RNAi

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Colin; Cuellar, Trinna L.; Haley, Benjamin

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Incorporating miRNA-like features into vector-based hairpin scaffolds has been shown to augment small RNA processing and RNAi efficiency. Therefore, defining an optimal, native hairpin context may obviate a need for hairpin-specific targeting design schemes, which confound the movement of functional siRNAs into shRNA/artificial miRNA backbones, or large-scale screens to identify efficacious sequences. Thus, we used quantitative cell-based assays to compare separate third generation artificial miRNA systems, miR-E (based on miR-30a) and miR-3G (based on miR-16-2 and first described in this study) to widely-adopted, first and second generation formats in both Pol-II and Pol-III expression vector contexts. Despite their unique structures and strandedness, and in contrast to first and second-generation RNAi triggers, the third generation formats operated with remarkable similarity to one another, and strong silencing was observed with a significant fraction of the evaluated target sequences within either promoter context. By pairing an established siRNA design algorithm with the third generation vectors we could readily identify targeting sequences that matched or exceeded the potency of those discovered through large-scale sensor-based assays. We find that third generation hairpin systems enable the maximal level of siRNA function, likely through enhanced processing and accumulation of precisely-defined guide RNAs. Therefore, we predict future gains in RNAi potency will come from improved hairpin expression and identification of optimal siRNA-intrinsic silencing properties rather than further modification of these scaffolds. Consequently, third generation systems should be the primary format for vector-based RNAi studies; miR-3G is advantageous due to its small expression cassette and simplified, cost-efficient cloning scheme. PMID:26786363

proBAMconvert: A Conversion Tool for proBAM/proBed.

PubMed

Olexiouk, Volodimir; Menschaert, Gerben

2017-07-07

The introduction of new standard formats, proBAM and proBed, improves the integration of genomics and proteomics information, thus aiding proteogenomics applications. These novel formats enable peptide spectrum matches (PSM) to be stored, inspected, and analyzed within the context of the genome. However, an easy-to-use and transparent tool to convert mass spectrometry identification files to these new formats is indispensable. proBAMconvert enables the conversion of common identification file formats (mzIdentML, mzTab, and pepXML) to proBAM/proBed using an intuitive interface. Furthermore, ProBAMconvert enables information to be output both at the PSM and peptide levels and has a command line interface next to the graphical user interface. Detailed documentation and a completely worked-out tutorial is available at http://probam.biobix.be .

Mapping of disease-associated variants in admixed populations

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Recent developments in high-throughput genotyping and whole-genome sequencing will enhance the identification of disease loci in admixed populations. We discuss how a more refined estimation of ancestry benefits both admixture mapping and association mapping, making disease loci identification in admixed populations more powerful. High-throughput genotyping and sequencing will enable refined estimation of ancestry, thus enhancing disease loci identification in admixed populations PMID:21635713

Energy Efficient In-network RFID Data Filtering Scheme in Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Bashir, Ali Kashif; Lim, Se-Jung; Hussain, Chauhdary Sajjad; Park, Myong-Soon

2011-01-01

RFID (Radio frequency identification) and wireless sensor networks are backbone technologies for pervasive environments. In integration of RFID and WSN, RFID data uses WSN protocols for multi-hop communications. Energy is a critical issue in WSNs; however, RFID data contains a lot of duplication. These duplications can be eliminated at the base station, but unnecessary transmissions of duplicate data within the network still occurs, which consumes nodes’ energy and affects network lifetime. In this paper, we propose an in-network RFID data filtering scheme that efficiently eliminates the duplicate data. For this we use a clustering mechanism where cluster heads eliminate duplicate data and forward filtered data towards the base station. Simulation results prove that our approach saves considerable amounts of energy in terms of communication and computational cost, compared to existing filtering schemes. PMID:22163999

Identification of pathogen avirulencegenes in the fusiform rust pathosystem

Treesearch

John M. Davis; Katherine E. Smith; Amanda Pendleton; Jason A. Smith; C. Dana Nelson

2012-01-01

The Cronartium quercuum f.sp. fusiforme (Cqf) whole genome sequencing project will enable identification of avirulence genes in the most devastating pine fungal pathogen in the southeastern United States. Amerson and colleagues (unpublished) have mapped nine fusiform rust resistance genes in loblolly pine,...

Deciphering complex patterns of class-I HLA-peptide cross-reactivity via hierarchical grouping.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Sumanta; Warwicker, Jim; Chandra, Nagasuma

2015-07-01

T-cell responses in humans are initiated by the binding of a peptide antigen to a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecule. The peptide-HLA complex then recruits an appropriate T cell, leading to cell-mediated immunity. More than 2000 HLA class-I alleles are known in humans, and they vary only in their peptide-binding grooves. The polymorphism they exhibit enables them to bind a wide range of peptide antigens from diverse sources. HLA molecules and peptides present a complex molecular recognition pattern, as many peptides bind to a given allele and a given peptide can be recognized by many alleles. A powerful grouping scheme that not only provides an insightful classification, but is also capable of dissecting the physicochemical basis of recognition specificity is necessary to address this complexity. We present a hierarchical classification of 2010 class-I alleles by using a systematic divisive clustering method. All-pair distances of alleles were obtained by comparing binding pockets in the structural models. By varying the similarity thresholds, a multilevel classification was obtained, with 7 supergroups, each further subclassifying to yield 72 groups. An independent clustering performed based only on similarities in their epitope pools correlated highly with pocket-based clustering. Physicochemical feature combinations that best explain the basis of clustering are identified. Mutual information calculated for the set of peptide ligands enables identification of binding site residues contributing to peptide specificity. The grouping of HLA molecules achieved here will be useful for rational vaccine design, understanding disease susceptibilities and predicting risk of organ transplants.

A classification scheme for risk assessment methods.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stamp, Jason Edwin; Campbell, Philip LaRoche

2004-08-01

This report presents a classification scheme for risk assessment methods. This scheme, like all classification schemes, provides meaning by imposing a structure that identifies relationships. Our scheme is based on two orthogonal aspects--level of detail, and approach. The resulting structure is shown in Table 1 and is explained in the body of the report. Each cell in the Table represent a different arrangement of strengths and weaknesses. Those arrangements shift gradually as one moves through the table, each cell optimal for a particular situation. The intention of this report is to enable informed use of the methods so that amore » method chosen is optimal for a situation given. This report imposes structure on the set of risk assessment methods in order to reveal their relationships and thus optimize their usage.We present a two-dimensional structure in the form of a matrix, using three abstraction levels for the rows and three approaches for the columns. For each of the nine cells in the matrix we identify the method type by name and example. The matrix helps the user understand: (1) what to expect from a given method, (2) how it relates to other methods, and (3) how best to use it. Each cell in the matrix represent a different arrangement of strengths and weaknesses. Those arrangements shift gradually as one moves through the table, each cell optimal for a particular situation. The intention of this report is to enable informed use of the methods so that a method chosen is optimal for a situation given. The matrix, with type names in the cells, is introduced in Table 2 on page 13 below. Unless otherwise stated we use the word 'method' in this report to refer to a 'risk assessment method', though often times we use the full phrase. The use of the terms 'risk assessment' and 'risk management' are close enough that we do not attempt to distinguish them in this report. The remainder of this report is organized as follows. In Section 2 we provide context for this report--what a 'method' is and where it fits. In Section 3 we present background for our classification scheme--what other schemes we have found, the fundamental nature of methods and their necessary incompleteness. In Section 4 we present our classification scheme in the form of a matrix, then we present an analogy that should provide an understanding of the scheme, concluding with an explanation of the two dimensions and the nine types in our scheme. In Section 5 we present examples of each of our classification types. In Section 6 we present conclusions.« less

Renzulli's Enrichment Scheme for the Gifted: Educational Accommodation of the Gifted in the American Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jellen, Hans G.

1985-01-01

The author sees S. Reis and J. Renzulli's case for a broadened conception of giftedness as being conceputally weak; points out the theoretical short-comings of the enrichment triad; and suggests that the "Revolving Door Identification Model" is accommodating and misleading. (Author/CL)

Identification of multiple leaks in pipeline: Linearized model, maximum likelihood, and super-resolution localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xun; Ghidaoui, Mohamed S.

2018-07-01

This paper considers the problem of identifying multiple leaks in a water-filled pipeline based on inverse transient wave theory. The analytical solution to this problem involves nonlinear interaction terms between the various leaks. This paper shows analytically and numerically that these nonlinear terms are of the order of the leak sizes to the power two and; thus, negligible. As a result of this simplification, a maximum likelihood (ML) scheme that identifies leak locations and leak sizes separately is formulated and tested. It is found that the ML estimation scheme is highly efficient and robust with respect to noise. In addition, the ML method is a super-resolution leak localization scheme because its resolvable leak distance (approximately 0.15λmin , where λmin is the minimum wavelength) is below the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem limit (0.5λmin). Moreover, the Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB) is derived and used to show the efficiency of the ML scheme estimates. The variance of the ML estimator approximates the CRLB proving that the ML scheme belongs to class of best unbiased estimator of leak localization methods.

Fingerprint multicast in secure video streaming.

PubMed

Zhao, H Vicky; Liu, K J Ray

2006-01-01

Digital fingerprinting is an emerging technology to protect multimedia content from illegal redistribution, where each distributed copy is labeled with unique identification information. In video streaming, huge amount of data have to be transmitted to a large number of users under stringent latency constraints, so the bandwidth-efficient distribution of uniquely fingerprinted copies is crucial. This paper investigates the secure multicast of anticollusion fingerprinted video in streaming applications and analyzes their performance. We first propose a general fingerprint multicast scheme that can be used with most spread spectrum embedding-based multimedia fingerprinting systems. To further improve the bandwidth efficiency, we explore the special structure of the fingerprint design and propose a joint fingerprint design and distribution scheme. From our simulations, the two proposed schemes can reduce the bandwidth requirement by 48% to 87%, depending on the number of users, the characteristics of video sequences, and the network and computation constraints. We also show that under the constraint that all colluders have the same probability of detection, the embedded fingerprints in the two schemes have approximately the same collusion resistance. Finally, we propose a fingerprint drift compensation scheme to improve the quality of the reconstructed sequences at the decoder's side without introducing extra communication overhead.

Zonal wavefront sensing with enhanced spatial resolution.

PubMed

Pathak, Biswajit; Boruah, Bosanta R

2016-12-01

In this Letter, we introduce a scheme to enhance the spatial resolution of a zonal wavefront sensor. The zonal wavefront sensor comprises an array of binary gratings implemented by a ferroelectric spatial light modulator (FLCSLM) followed by a lens, in lieu of the array of lenses in the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We show that the fast response of the FLCSLM device facilitates quick display of several laterally shifted binary grating patterns, and the programmability of the device enables simultaneous capturing of each focal spot array. This eventually leads to a wavefront estimation with an enhanced spatial resolution without much sacrifice on the sensor frame rate, thus making the scheme suitable for high spatial resolution measurement of transient wavefronts. We present experimental and numerical simulation results to demonstrate the importance of the proposed wavefront sensing scheme.

Optical Network Virtualisation Using Multitechnology Monitoring and SDN-Enabled Optical Transceiver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Yanni; Davis, Matthew; Aguado, Alejandro; Meng, Fanchao; Nejabati, Reza; Simeonidou, Dimitra

2018-05-01

We introduce the real-time multi-technology transport layer monitoring to facilitate the coordinated virtualisation of optical and Ethernet networks supported by optical virtualise-able transceivers (V-BVT). A monitoring and network resource configuration scheme is proposed to include the hardware monitoring in both Ethernet and Optical layers. The scheme depicts the data and control interactions among multiple network layers under the software defined network (SDN) background, as well as the application that analyses the monitored data obtained from the database. We also present a re-configuration algorithm to adaptively modify the composition of virtual optical networks based on two criteria. The proposed monitoring scheme is experimentally demonstrated with OpenFlow (OF) extensions for a holistic (re-)configuration across both layers in Ethernet switches and V-BVTs.

The Bassi Rebay 1 scheme is a special case of the Symmetric Interior Penalty formulation for discontinuous Galerkin discretisations with Gauss-Lobatto points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzanero, Juan; Rueda-Ramírez, Andrés M.; Rubio, Gonzalo; Ferrer, Esteban

2018-06-01

In the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) community, several formulations have been proposed to solve PDEs involving second-order spatial derivatives (e.g. elliptic problems). In this paper, we show that, when the discretisation is restricted to the usage of Gauss-Lobatto points, there are important similarities between two common choices: the Bassi-Rebay 1 (BR1) method, and the Symmetric Interior Penalty (SIP) formulation. This equivalence enables the extrapolation of properties from one scheme to the other: a sharper estimation of the minimum penalty parameter for the SIP stability (compared to the more general estimate proposed by Shahbazi [1]), more efficient implementations of the BR1 scheme, and the compactness of the BR1 method for straight quadrilateral and hexahedral meshes.

A Proposed Change to ITU-R Recommendation 681

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davarian, F.

1996-01-01

Recommendation 681 of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) provides five models for the prediction of propagation effects on land mobile satellite links: empirical roadside shadowing (ERS), attenuation frequency scaling, fade duration distribution, non-fade duration distribution, and fading due to multipath. Because the above prediction models have been empirically derived using a limited amount of data, these schemes work only for restricted ranges of link parameters. With the first two models, for example, the frequency and elevation angle parameters are restricted to 0.8 to 2.7 GHz and 20 to 60 degrees, respectively. Recently measured data have enabled us to enhance the range of the first two schemes. Moreover, for convenience, they have been combined into a single scheme named the extended empirical roadside shadowing (EERS) model.

New Technologies for Rapid Bacterial Identification and Antibiotic Resistance Profiling.

PubMed

Kelley, Shana O

2017-04-01

Conventional approaches to bacterial identification and drug susceptibility testing typically rely on culture-based approaches that take 2 to 7 days to return results. The long turnaround times contribute to the spread of infectious disease, negative patient outcomes, and the misuse of antibiotics that can contribute to antibiotic resistance. To provide new solutions enabling faster bacterial analysis, a variety of approaches are under development that leverage single-cell analysis, microfluidic concentration and detection strategies, and ultrasensitive readout mechanisms. This review discusses recent advances in this area and the potential of new technologies to enable more effective management of infectious disease.

An Efficient User Authentication and User Anonymity Scheme with Provably Security for IoT-Based Medical Care System.

PubMed

Li, Chun-Ta; Wu, Tsu-Yang; Chen, Chin-Ling; Lee, Cheng-Chi; Chen, Chien-Ming

2017-06-23

In recent years, with the increase in degenerative diseases and the aging population in advanced countries, demands for medical care of older or solitary people have increased continually in hospitals and healthcare institutions. Applying wireless sensor networks for the IoT-based telemedicine system enables doctors, caregivers or families to monitor patients' physiological conditions at anytime and anyplace according to the acquired information. However, transmitting physiological data through the Internet concerns the personal privacy of patients. Therefore, before users can access medical care services in IoT-based medical care system, they must be authenticated. Typically, user authentication and data encryption are most critical for securing network communications over a public channel between two or more participants. In 2016, Liu and Chung proposed a bilinear pairing-based password authentication scheme for wireless healthcare sensor networks. They claimed their authentication scheme cannot only secure sensor data transmission, but also resist various well-known security attacks. In this paper, we demonstrate that Liu-Chung's scheme has some security weaknesses, and we further present an improved secure authentication and data encryption scheme for the IoT-based medical care system, which can provide user anonymity and prevent the security threats of replay and password/sensed data disclosure attacks. Moreover, we modify the authentication process to reduce redundancy in protocol design, and the proposed scheme is more efficient in performance compared with previous related schemes. Finally, the proposed scheme is provably secure in the random oracle model under ECDHP.

Dealing with Liars: Misbehavior Identification via Rényi-Ulam Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozma, William; Lazos, Loukas

We address the problem of identifying misbehaving nodes that refuse to forward packets in wireless multi-hop networks. We map the process of locating the misbehaving nodes to the classic Rényi-Ulam game of 20 questions. Compared to previous methods, our mapping allows the evaluation of node behavior on a per-packet basis, without the need for energy-expensive overhearing techniques or intensive acknowledgment schemes. Furthermore, it copes with colluding adversaries that coordinate their behavioral patterns to avoid identification and frame honest nodes. We show via simulations that our algorithms reduce the communication overhead for identifying misbehaving nodes by at least one order of magnitude compared to other methods, while increasing the identification delay logarithmically with the path size.

Research by the U.S. Geological Survey on organic materials in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, Robert Andrew

1976-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has responsibility for investigating the Nation's water resources for source, availability, quantity, and quality. This paper describes the Geological Survey's research on organic substances in water and fluvial sediments. Results and ongoing studies are examined. Typical research includes: Separation, concentration, and chromatographic identification of volatile acids; free-flow electrophoresis fractionation of natural organic materials; identification of chlorinated insecticides in suspended sediments and bottom materials; fate of organics following underground disposal; determination of humic and fulvic acid stability constants and characterizations; identification of low-molecular weight chloroorganic constituents in water; PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl compound) distribution in aquatic environments; dissolved organic carbon in ground water; and improvement in separation and concentration schemes prior to analyses.

A suggested color scheme for reducing perception-related accidents on construction work sites.

PubMed

Yi, June-seong; Kim, Yong-woo; Kim, Ki-aeng; Koo, Bonsang

2012-09-01

Changes in workforce demographics have led to the need for more sophisticated approaches to addressing the safety requirements of the construction industry. Despite extensive research in other industry domains, the construction industry has been passive in exploring the impact of a color scheme; perception-related accidents have been effectively diminished by its implementation. The research demonstrated that the use of appropriate color schemes could improve the actions and psychology of workers on site, thereby increasing their perceptions of potentially dangerous situations. As a preliminary study, the objects selected by rigorous analysis on accident reports were workwear, safety net, gondola, scaffolding, and safety passage. The colors modified on site for temporary facilities were adopted from existing theoretical and empirical research that suggests the use of certain colors and their combinations to improve visibility and conspicuity while minimizing work fatigue. The color schemes were also tested and confirmed through two workshops with workers and managers currently involved in actual projects. The impacts of color schemes suggested in this paper are summarized as follows. First, the color schemes improve the conspicuity of facilities with other on site components, enabling workers to quickly discern and orient themselves in their work environment. Secondly, the color schemes have been selected to minimize the visual work fatigue and monotony that can potentially increase accidents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced DNA Sensing via Catalytic Aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Huttanus, Herbert M.; Graugnard, Elton; Yurke, Bernard; Knowlton, William B.; Kuang, Wan; Hughes, William L.; Lee, Jeunghoon

2014-01-01

A catalytic colorimetric detection scheme that incorporates a DNA-based hybridization chain reaction into gold nanoparticles was designed and tested. While direct aggregation forms an inter-particle linkage from only ones target DNA strand, the catalytic aggregation forms multiple linkages from a single target DNA strand. Gold nanoparticles were functionalized with thiol-modified DNA strands capable of undergoing hybridization chain reactions. The changes in their absorption spectra were measured at different times and target concentrations and compared against direct aggregation. Catalytic aggregation showed a multifold increase in sensitivity at low target concentrations when compared to direct aggregation. Gel electrophoresis was performed to compare DNA hybridization reactions in catalytic and direct aggregation schemes, and the product formation was confirmed in the catalytic aggregation scheme at low levels of target concentrations. The catalytic aggregation scheme also showed high target specificity. This application of a DNA reaction network to gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric detection enables highly-sensitive, field-deployable, colorimetric readout systems capable of detecting a variety of biomolecules. PMID:23891867

Optical Stabilization of a Microwave Oscillator for Fountain Clock Interrogation.

PubMed

Lipphardt, Burghard; Gerginov, Vladislav; Weyers, Stefan

2017-04-01

We describe an optical frequency stabilization scheme of a microwave oscillator that is used for the interrogation of primary cesium fountain clocks. Because of its superior phase noise properties, this scheme, which is based on an ultrastable laser and a femtosecond laser frequency comb, overcomes the frequency instability limitations of fountain clocks given by the previously utilized quartz-oscillator-based frequency synthesis. The presented scheme combines the transfer of the short-term frequency instability of an optical cavity and the long-term frequency instability of a hydrogen maser to the microwave oscillator and is designed to provide continuous long-term operation for extended measurement periods of several weeks. The utilization of the twofold stabilization scheme on the one hand ensures the referencing of the fountain frequency to the hydrogen maser frequency and on the other hand results in a phase noise level of the fountain interrogation signal, which enables fountain frequency instabilities at the 2.5 ×10 -14 (τ/s) -1/2 level that are quantum projection noise limited.

Weak beacon detection for air-to-ground optical wireless link establishment.

PubMed

Han, Yaoqiang; Dang, Anhong; Tang, Junxiong; Guo, Hong

2010-02-01

In an air-to-ground free-space optical communication system, strong background interference seriously affects the beacon detection, which makes it difficult to establish the optical link. In this paper, we propose a correlation beacon detection scheme under strong background interference conditions. As opposed to traditional beacon detection schemes, the beacon is modulated by an m-sequence at the transmitting terminal with a digital differential matched filter (DDMF) array introduced at the receiving end to detect the modulated beacon. This scheme is capable of suppressing both strong interference and noise by correlation reception of the received image sequence. In addition, the DDMF array enables each pixel of the image sensor to have its own DDMF of the same structure to process its received image sequence in parallel, thus it makes fast beacon detection possible. Theoretical analysis and an outdoor experiment have been demonstrated and show that the proposed scheme can realize fast and effective beacon detection under strong background interference conditions. Consequently, the required beacon transmission power can also be reduced dramatically.

A lightweight and secure two factor anonymous authentication protocol for Global Mobility Networks.

PubMed

Baig, Ahmed Fraz; Hassan, Khwaja Mansoor Ul; Ghani, Anwar; Chaudhry, Shehzad Ashraf; Khan, Imran; Ashraf, Muhammad Usman

2018-01-01

Global Mobility Networks(GLOMONETs) in wireless communication permits the global roaming services that enable a user to leverage the mobile services in any foreign country. Technological growth in wireless communication is also accompanied by new security threats and challenges. A threat-proof authentication protocol in wireless communication may overcome the security flaws by allowing only legitimate users to access a particular service. Recently, Lee et al. found Mun et al. scheme vulnerable to different attacks and proposed an advanced secure scheme to overcome the security flaws. However, this article points out that Lee et al. scheme lacks user anonymity, inefficient user authentication, vulnerable to replay and DoS attacks and Lack of local password verification. Furthermore, this article presents a more robust anonymous authentication scheme to handle the threats and challenges found in Lee et al.'s protocol. The proposed protocol is formally verified with an automated tool(ProVerif). The proposed protocol has superior efficiency in comparison to the existing protocols.

Design and evaluation of nonverbal sound-based input for those with motor handicapped.

PubMed

Punyabukkana, Proadpran; Chanjaradwichai, Supadaech; Suchato, Atiwong

2013-03-01

Most personal computing interfaces rely on the users' ability to use their hand and arm movements to interact with on-screen graphical widgets via mainstream devices, including keyboards and mice. Without proper assistive devices, this style of input poses difficulties for motor-handicapped users. We propose a sound-based input scheme enabling users to operate Windows' Graphical User Interface by producing hums and fricatives through regular microphones. Hierarchically arranged menus are utilized so that only minimal numbers of different actions are required at a time. The proposed scheme was found to be accurate and capable of responding promptly compared to other sound-based schemes. Being able to select from multiple item-selecting modes helps reducing the average time duration needed for completing tasks in the test scenarios almost by half the time needed when the tasks were performed solely through cursor movements. Still, improvements on facilitating users to select the most appropriate modes for desired tasks should improve the overall usability of the proposed scheme.

A lightweight and secure two factor anonymous authentication protocol for Global Mobility Networks

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Global Mobility Networks(GLOMONETs) in wireless communication permits the global roaming services that enable a user to leverage the mobile services in any foreign country. Technological growth in wireless communication is also accompanied by new security threats and challenges. A threat-proof authentication protocol in wireless communication may overcome the security flaws by allowing only legitimate users to access a particular service. Recently, Lee et al. found Mun et al. scheme vulnerable to different attacks and proposed an advanced secure scheme to overcome the security flaws. However, this article points out that Lee et al. scheme lacks user anonymity, inefficient user authentication, vulnerable to replay and DoS attacks and Lack of local password verification. Furthermore, this article presents a more robust anonymous authentication scheme to handle the threats and challenges found in Lee et al.’s protocol. The proposed protocol is formally verified with an automated tool(ProVerif). The proposed protocol has superior efficiency in comparison to the existing protocols. PMID:29702675

Identification and characterization of the furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural degradation pathways of Cupriavidus basilensis HMF14

PubMed Central

Koopman, Frank; Wierckx, Nick; de Winde, Johannes H.; Ruijssenaars, Harald J.

2010-01-01

The toxic fermentation inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates pose significant problems for the production of second-generation biofuels and biochemicals. Among these inhibitors, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) and furfural are specifically notorious. In this study, we describe the complete molecular identification and characterization of the pathway by which Cupriavidus basilensis HMF14 metabolizes HMF and furfural. The identification of this pathway enabled the construction of an HMF and furfural-metabolizing Pseudomonas putida. The genetic information obtained furthermore enabled us to predict the HMF and furfural degrading capabilities of sequenced bacterial species that had not previously been connected to furanic aldehyde metabolism. These results pave the way for in situ detoxification of lignocellulosic hydrolysates, which is a major step toward improved efficiency of utilization of lignocellulosic feedstock. PMID:20194784

Expert opinion on risks to the long-term viability of residential recycled water schemes: An Australian study.

PubMed

West, Camilla; Kenway, Steven; Hassall, Maureen; Yuan, Zhiguo

2017-09-01

The water sector needs to make efficient and prudent investment decisions by carefully considering the long-term viability of water infrastructure projects. To support the assessment and planning of residential recycled water schemes in Australia, we have sought to clarify scheme objectives and to further define the array of critical risks that can impact the long-term viability of schemes. Building on historical information, we conducted a national survey which elicited responses from 88 Australian expert practitioners, of which 64% have over 10 years of industry experience and 42% have experience with more than five residential recycled water schemes. On the basis of expert opinion, residential recycled water schemes are considered to be highly relevant for diversifying and improving water supply security, reducing wastewater effluent discharge and pollutant load to waterways and contributing to sustainable urban development. At present however, the inability to demonstrate an incontestable business case is posing a significant risk to the long-term viability of residential recycled water schemes. Political, regulatory, organisational and financial factors were also rated as critical risks, in addition to community risk perception and fall in demand. The survey results shed further light on the regulatory environment of residential recycled water schemes, with regulatory participants rating the level and impact of risk factors higher than other survey participants in most cases. The research outcomes provide a comprehensive understanding of the critical risks to the long-term viability of residential recycled water schemes, thereby enabling the specification of targeted risk management measures at the assessment and planning stage of a scheme. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining a Method of Enabling and Disabling the Integral Torque in the SDO Science and Inertial Mode Controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vess, Melissa F.; Starin, Scott R.

2007-01-01

During design of the SDO Science and Inertial mode PID controllers, the decision was made to disable the integral torque whenever system stability was in question. Three different schemes were developed to determine when to disable or enable the integral torque, and a trade study was performed to determine which scheme to implement. The trade study compared complexity of the control logic, risk of not reenabling the integral gain in time to reject steady-state error, and the amount of integral torque space used. The first scheme calculated a simplified Routh criterion to determine when to disable the integral torque. The second scheme calculates the PD part of the torque and looked to see if that torque would cause actuator saturation. If so, only the PD torque is used. If not, the integral torque is added. Finally, the third scheme compares the attitude and rate errors to limits and disables the integral torque if either of the errors is greater than the limit. Based on the trade study results, the third scheme was selected. Once it was decided when to disable the integral torque, analysis was performed to determine how to disable the integral torque and whether or not to reset the integrator once the integral torque was reenabled. Three ways to disable the integral torque were investigated: zero the input into the integrator, which causes the integral part of the PID control torque to be held constant; zero the integral torque directly but allow the integrator to continue integrating; or zero the integral torque directly and reset the integrator on integral torque reactivation. The analysis looked at complexity of the control logic, slew time plus settling time between each calibration maneuver step, and ability to reject steady-state error. Based on the results of the analysis, the decision was made to zero the input into the integrator without resetting it. Throughout the analysis, a high fidelity simulation was used to test the various implementation methods.

Automated Photoreceptor Cell Identification on Nonconfocal Adaptive Optics Images Using Multiscale Circular Voting.

PubMed

Liu, Jianfei; Jung, HaeWon; Dubra, Alfredo; Tam, Johnny

2017-09-01

Adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) has enabled quantification of the photoreceptor mosaic in the living human eye using metrics such as cell density and average spacing. These rely on the identification of individual cells. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach for computer-aided identification of cone photoreceptors on nonconfocal split detection AOSLO images. Algorithms for identification of cone photoreceptors were developed, based on multiscale circular voting (MSCV) in combination with a priori knowledge that split detection images resemble Nomarski differential interference contrast images, in which dark and bright regions are present on the two sides of each cell. The proposed algorithm locates dark and bright region pairs, iteratively refining the identification across multiple scales. Identification accuracy was assessed in data from 10 subjects by comparing automated identifications with manual labeling, followed by computation of density and spacing metrics for comparison to histology and published data. There was good agreement between manual and automated cone identifications with overall recall, precision, and F1 score of 92.9%, 90.8%, and 91.8%, respectively. On average, computed density and spacing values using automated identification were within 10.7% and 11.2% of the expected histology values across eccentricities ranging from 0.5 to 6.2 mm. There was no statistically significant difference between MSCV-based and histology-based density measurements (P = 0.96, Kolmogorov-Smirnov 2-sample test). MSCV can accurately detect cone photoreceptors on split detection images across a range of eccentricities, enabling quick, objective estimation of photoreceptor mosaic metrics, which will be important for future clinical trials utilizing adaptive optics.

A shared position/force control methodology for teleoperation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jin S.

1987-01-01

A flexible and computationally efficient shared position/force control concept and its implementation in the Robot Control C Library (RCCL) are presented form the point of teleoperation. This methodology enables certain degrees of freedom to be position-controlled through real time manual inputs and the remaining degrees of freedom to be force-controlled by computer. Functionally, it is a hybrid control scheme in that certain degrees of freedom are designated to be under position control, and the remaining degrees of freedom to be under force control. However, the methodology is also a shared control scheme because some degrees of freedom can be put under manual control and the other degrees of freedom put under computer control. Unlike other hybrid control schemes, which process position and force commands independently, this scheme provides a force control loop built on top of a position control inner loop. This feature minimizes the computational burden and increases disturbance rejection. A simple implementation is achieved partly because the joint control servos that are part of most robots can be used to provide the position control inner loop. Along with this control scheme, several menus were implemented for the convenience of the user. The implemented control scheme was successfully demonstrated for the tasks of hinged-panel opening and peg-in-hole insertion.

Implementation of a model based fault detection and diagnosis for actuation faults of the Space Shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duyar, A.; Guo, T.-H.; Merrill, W.; Musgrave, J.

1992-01-01

In a previous study, Guo, Merrill and Duyar, 1990, reported a conceptual development of a fault detection and diagnosis system for actuation faults of the space shuttle main engine. This study, which is a continuation of the previous work, implements the developed fault detection and diagnosis scheme for the real time actuation fault diagnosis of the space shuttle main engine. The scheme will be used as an integral part of an intelligent control system demonstration experiment at NASA Lewis. The diagnosis system utilizes a model based method with real time identification and hypothesis testing for actuation, sensor, and performance degradation faults.

Robust Fault Detection and Isolation for Stochastic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, Jemin; Gregory, Irene M.

2010-01-01

This paper outlines the formulation of a robust fault detection and isolation scheme that can precisely detect and isolate simultaneous actuator and sensor faults for uncertain linear stochastic systems. The given robust fault detection scheme based on the discontinuous robust observer approach would be able to distinguish between model uncertainties and actuator failures and therefore eliminate the problem of false alarms. Since the proposed approach involves precise reconstruction of sensor faults, it can also be used for sensor fault identification and the reconstruction of true outputs from faulty sensor outputs. Simulation results presented here validate the effectiveness of the robust fault detection and isolation system.

Gas detection by correlation spectroscopy employing a multimode diode laser.

PubMed

Lou, Xiutao; Somesfalean, Gabriel; Zhang, Zhiguo

2008-05-01

A gas sensor based on the gas-correlation technique has been developed using a multimode diode laser (MDL) in a dual-beam detection scheme. Measurement of CO(2) mixed with CO as an interfering gas is successfully demonstrated using a 1570 nm tunable MDL. Despite overlapping absorption spectra and occasional mode hops, the interfering signals can be effectively excluded by a statistical procedure including correlation analysis and outlier identification. The gas concentration is retrieved from several pair-correlated signals by a linear-regression scheme, yielding a reliable and accurate measurement. This demonstrates the utility of the unsophisticated MDLs as novel light sources for gas detection applications.

A reconfigurable all-optical VPN based on XGM effect of SOA in WDM PON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Liang; Cao, Pan; Wang, Tao; Su, Yikai

2010-12-01

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a reconfigurable all-optical VPN scheme enabling intercommunications among different ONUs in a WDM PON. Reconfiguration is realized by dynamically setting wavelength conversion of optical VPN signal using a SOA in the OLT.

Discrete Element Modelling of Floating Debris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahaffey, Samantha; Liang, Qiuhua; Parkin, Geoff; Large, Andy; Rouainia, Mohamed

2016-04-01

Flash flooding is characterised by high velocity flows which impact vulnerable catchments with little warning time and as such, result in complex flow dynamics which are difficult to replicate through modelling. The impacts of flash flooding can be made yet more severe by the transport of both natural and anthropogenic debris, ranging from tree trunks to vehicles, wheelie bins and even storage containers, the effects of which have been clearly evident during recent UK flooding. This cargo of debris can have wide reaching effects and result in actual flood impacts which diverge from those predicted. A build-up of debris may lead to partial channel blockage and potential flow rerouting through urban centres. Build-up at bridges and river structures also leads to increased hydraulic loading which may result in damage and possible structural failure. Predicting the impacts of debris transport; however, is difficult as conventional hydrodynamic modelling schemes do not intrinsically include floating debris within their calculations. Subsequently a new tool has been developed using an emerging approach, which incorporates debris transport through the coupling of two existing modelling techniques. A 1D hydrodynamic modelling scheme has here been coupled with a 2D discrete element scheme to form a new modelling tool which predicts the motion and flow-interaction of floating debris. Hydraulic forces arising from flow around the object are applied to instigate its motion. Likewise, an equivalent opposing force is applied to fluid cells, enabling backwater effects to be simulated. Shock capturing capabilities make the tool applicable to predicting the complex flow dynamics associated with flash flooding. The modelling scheme has been applied to experimental case studies where cylindrical wooden dowels are transported by a dam-break wave. These case studies enable validation of the tool's shock capturing capabilities and the coupling technique applied between the two numerical schemes. The results show that the tool is able to adequately replicate water depth and depth-averaged velocity of a dam-break wave, as well as velocity and displacement of floating cylindrical elements, thus validating its shock capturing capabilities and the coupling technique applied for this simple test case. Future development of the tool will incorporate a 2D hydrodynamic scheme and a 3D discrete element scheme in order to model the more complex processes associated with debris transport.

A Galerkin method for the estimation of parameters in hybrid systems governing the vibration of flexible beams with tip bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, H. T.; Rosen, I. G.

1985-01-01

An approximation scheme is developed for the identification of hybrid systems describing the transverse vibrations of flexible beams with attached tip bodies. In particular, problems involving the estimation of functional parameters are considered. The identification problem is formulated as a least squares fit to data subject to the coupled system of partial and ordinary differential equations describing the transverse displacement of the beam and the motion of the tip bodies respectively. A cubic spline-based Galerkin method applied to the state equations in weak form and the discretization of the admissible parameter space yield a sequence of approximating finite dimensional identification problems. It is shown that each of the approximating problems admits a solution and that from the resulting sequence of optimal solutions a convergent subsequence can be extracted, the limit of which is a solution to the original identification problem. The approximating identification problems can be solved using standard techniques and readily available software.

Advanced driver assistance system: Road sign identification using VIAPIX system and a correlation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouerhani, Y.; Alfalou, A.; Desthieux, M.; Brosseau, C.

2017-02-01

We present a three-step approach based on the commercial VIAPIX® module for road traffic sign recognition and identification. Firstly, detection in a scene of all objects having characteristics of traffic signs is performed. This is followed by a first-level recognition based on correlation which consists in making a comparison between each detected object with a set of reference images of a database. Finally, a second level of identification allows us to confirm or correct the previous identification. In this study, we perform a correlation-based analysis by combining and adapting the Vander Lugt correlator with the nonlinear joint transformation correlator (JTC). Of particular significance, this approach permits to make a reliable decision on road traffic sign identification. We further discuss a robust scheme allowing us to track a detected road traffic sign in a video sequence for the purpose of increasing the decision performance of our system. This approach can have broad practical applications in the maintenance and rehabilitation of transportation infrastructure, or for drive assistance.

Interfacing whispering-gallery microresonators and free space light with cavity enhanced Rayleigh scattering

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jiangang; Özdemir, Şahin K.; Yilmaz, Huzeyfe; Peng, Bo; Dong, Mark; Tomes, Matthew; Carmon, Tal; Yang, Lan

2014-01-01

Whispering gallery mode resonators (WGMRs) take advantage of strong light confinement and long photon lifetime for applications in sensing, optomechanics, microlasers and quantum optics. However, their rotational symmetry and low radiation loss impede energy exchange between WGMs and the surrounding. As a result, free-space coupling of light into and from WGMRs is very challenging. In previous schemes, resonators are intentionally deformed to break circular symmetry to enable free-space coupling of carefully aligned focused light, which comes with bulky size and alignment issues that hinder the realization of compact WGMR applications. Here, we report a new class of nanocouplers based on cavity enhanced Rayleigh scattering from nano-scatterer(s) on resonator surface, and demonstrate whispering gallery microlaser by free-space optical pumping of an Ytterbium doped silica microtoroid via the scatterers. This new scheme will not only expand the range of applications enabled by WGMRs, but also provide a possible route to integrate them into solar powered green photonics. PMID:25227918

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qi, Bing; Lougovski, Pavel; Pooser, Raphael C.

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) protocols based on coherent detection have been studied extensively in both theory and experiment. In all the existing implementations of CV-QKD, both the quantum signal and the local oscillator (LO) are generated from the same laser and propagate through the insecure quantum channel. This arrangement may open security loopholes and limit the potential applications of CV-QKD. In our paper, we propose and demonstrate a pilot-aided feedforward data recovery scheme that enables reliable coherent detection using a “locally” generated LO. Using two independent commercial laser sources and a spool of 25-km optical fiber, we construct amore » coherent communication system. The variance of the phase noise introduced by the proposed scheme is measured to be 0.04 (rad 2), which is small enough to enable secure key distribution. This technology opens the door for other quantum communication protocols, such as the recently proposed measurement-device-independent CV-QKD, where independent light sources are employed by different users.« less

Interfacing whispering-gallery microresonators and free space light with cavity enhanced Rayleigh scattering.

PubMed

Zhu, Jiangang; Özdemir, Sahin K; Yilmaz, Huzeyfe; Peng, Bo; Dong, Mark; Tomes, Matthew; Carmon, Tal; Yang, Lan

2014-09-17

Whispering gallery mode resonators (WGMRs) take advantage of strong light confinement and long photon lifetime for applications in sensing, optomechanics, microlasers and quantum optics. However, their rotational symmetry and low radiation loss impede energy exchange between WGMs and the surrounding. As a result, free-space coupling of light into and from WGMRs is very challenging. In previous schemes, resonators are intentionally deformed to break circular symmetry to enable free-space coupling of carefully aligned focused light, which comes with bulky size and alignment issues that hinder the realization of compact WGMR applications. Here, we report a new class of nanocouplers based on cavity enhanced Rayleigh scattering from nano-scatterer(s) on resonator surface, and demonstrate whispering gallery microlaser by free-space optical pumping of an Ytterbium doped silica microtoroid via the scatterers. This new scheme will not only expand the range of applications enabled by WGMRs, but also provide a possible route to integrate them into solar powered green photonics.

Hardware-efficient Bell state preparation using Quantum Zeno Dynamics in superconducting circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flurin, Emmanuel; Blok, Machiel; Hacohen-Gourgy, Shay; Martin, Leigh S.; Livingston, William P.; Dove, Allison; Siddiqi, Irfan

By preforming a continuous joint measurement on a two qubit system, we restrict the qubit evolution to a chosen subspace of the total Hilbert space. This extension of the quantum Zeno effect, called Quantum Zeno Dynamics, has already been explored in various physical systems such as superconducting cavities, single rydberg atoms, atomic ensembles and Bose Einstein condensates. In this experiment, two superconducting qubits are strongly dispersively coupled to a high-Q cavity (χ >> κ) allowing for the doubly excited state | 11 〉 to be selectively monitored. The Quantum Zeno Dynamics in the complementary subspace enables us to coherently prepare a Bell state. As opposed to dissipation engineering schemes, we emphasize that our protocol is deterministic, does not rely direct coupling between qubits and functions only using single qubit controls and cavity readout. Such Quantum Zeno Dynamics can be generalized to larger Hilbert space enabling deterministic generation of many-body entangled states, and thus realizes a decoherence-free subspace allowing alternative noise-protection schemes.

Data-driven Green's function retrieval and application to imaging with multidimensional deconvolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broggini, Filippo; Wapenaar, Kees; van der Neut, Joost; Snieder, Roel

2014-01-01

An iterative method is presented that allows one to retrieve the Green's function originating from a virtual source located inside a medium using reflection data measured only at the acquisition surface. In addition to the reflection response, an estimate of the travel times corresponding to the direct arrivals is required. However, no detailed information about the heterogeneities in the medium is needed. The iterative scheme generalizes the Marchenko equation for inverse scattering to the seismic reflection problem. To give insight in the mechanism of the iterative method, its steps for a simple layered medium are analyzed using physical arguments based on the stationary phase method. The retrieved Green's wavefield is shown to correctly contain the multiples due to the inhomogeneities present in the medium. Additionally, a variant of the iterative scheme enables decomposition of the retrieved wavefield into its downgoing and upgoing components. These wavefields then enable creation of a ghost-free image of the medium with either cross correlation or multidimensional deconvolution, presenting an advantage over standard prestack migration.

Generating the Local Oscillator "Locally" in Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Based on Coherent Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Bing; Lougovski, Pavel; Pooser, Raphael; Grice, Warren; Bobrek, Miljko

2015-10-01

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) protocols based on coherent detection have been studied extensively in both theory and experiment. In all the existing implementations of CV-QKD, both the quantum signal and the local oscillator (LO) are generated from the same laser and propagate through the insecure quantum channel. This arrangement may open security loopholes and limit the potential applications of CV-QKD. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a pilot-aided feedforward data recovery scheme that enables reliable coherent detection using a "locally" generated LO. Using two independent commercial laser sources and a spool of 25-km optical fiber, we construct a coherent communication system. The variance of the phase noise introduced by the proposed scheme is measured to be 0.04 (rad2 ), which is small enough to enable secure key distribution. This technology also opens the door for other quantum communication protocols, such as the recently proposed measurement-device-independent CV-QKD, where independent light sources are employed by different users.

Validating DNA barcodes: A non-destructive extraction protocol enables simultaneous vouchering of DNA and morphological vouchers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Morphology-based keys support accurate identification of many taxa. However, identification can be difficult for taxa that are not well studied, very small, members of cryptic species complexes, or represented by immature stages. For such cases, DNA barcodes may provide diagnostic characters. Ecolog...

75 FR 31761 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region Gear Identification Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-04

... Collection; Comment Request; Alaska Region Gear Identification Requirements AGENCY: National Oceanic and... gear aids law enforcement and enables other fishermen to report on misplaced gear. II. Method of Collection No information is submitted; this is a gear-marking requirement. III. Data OMB Control Number...

Determinants of Evidence Use in Academic Librarian Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koufogiannakis, Denise

2015-01-01

The objective of this qualitative study was to identify and explain challenges encountered by academic librarians when trying to incorporate evidence into their practice. The findings resulted in the identification of five main determinants that act as either obstacles or enablers of evidence use. The identification of these determinants provide…

Status of the Polar Engineering Development Center's (PEDC) Open-Closed Boundary Synoptic Nowcast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerrard, A. J.; Kim, H.

2017-12-01

We present the most recent Polar Engineering Development Center (PEDC) developments, specifically the first magnetic-field open-closed boundary (OCB) determination scheme. This scheme is implemented in "near real time" and utilizes data from an array of fluxgate magnetometers that are distributed across the high Antarctic plateau, as per Urban et al. [2012]. This OCB determination enables a high-latitude, synoptic measure of space weather variability that provides for more regional determinations of particle precipitation and related impacts. This methodology therefore supplements exciting "index-based" or empically-based space weather nowcasts currently in use.

Heisenberg-Limited Qubit Read-Out with Two-Mode Squeezed Light.

PubMed

Didier, Nicolas; Kamal, Archana; Oliver, William D; Blais, Alexandre; Clerk, Aashish A

2015-08-28

We show how to use two-mode squeezed light to exponentially enhance cavity-based dispersive qubit measurement. Our scheme enables true Heisenberg-limited scaling of the measurement, and crucially, it is not restricted to small dispersive couplings or unrealistically long measurement times. It involves coupling a qubit dispersively to two cavities and making use of a symmetry in the dynamics of joint cavity quadratures (a so-called quantum-mechanics-free subsystem). We discuss the basic scaling of the scheme and its robustness against imperfections, as well as a realistic implementation in circuit quantum electrodynamics.

Numerical Experimentation with Maximum Likelihood Identification in Static Distributed Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheid, R. E., Jr.; Rodriguez, G.

1985-01-01

Many important issues in the control of large space structures are intimately related to the fundamental problem of parameter identification. One might also ask how well this identification process can be carried out in the presence of noisy data since no sensor system is perfect. With these considerations in mind the algorithms herein are designed to treat both the case of uncertainties in the modeling and uncertainties in the data. The analytical aspects of maximum likelihood identification are considered in some detail in another paper. The questions relevant to the implementation of these schemes are dealt with, particularly as they apply to models of large space structures. The emphasis is on the influence of the infinite dimensional character of the problem on finite dimensional implementations of the algorithms. Those areas of current and future analysis are highlighted which indicate the interplay between error analysis and possible truncations of the state and parameter spaces.

Topic Identification and Categorization of Public Information in Community-Based Social Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusumawardani, RP; Basri, MH

2017-01-01

This paper presents a work on a semi-supervised method for topic identification and classification of short texts in the social media, and its application on tweets containing dialogues in a large community of dwellers in a city, written mostly in Indonesian. These dialogues comprise a wealth of information about the city, shared in real-time. We found that despite the high irregularity of the language used, and the scarcity of suitable linguistic resources, a meaningful identification of topics could be performed by clustering the tweets using the K-Means algorithm. The resulting clusters are found to be robust enough to be the basis of a classification. On three grouping schemes derived from the clusters, we get accuracy of 95.52%, 95.51%, and 96.7 using linear SVMs, reflecting the applicability of applying this method for generating topic identification and classification on such data.

A novel Kalman filter based video image processing scheme for two-photon fluorescence microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wenqing; Huang, Xia; Li, Chunqiang; Xiao, Chuan; Qian, Wei

2016-03-01

Two-photon fluorescence microscopy (TPFM) is a perfect optical imaging equipment to monitor the interaction between fast moving viruses and hosts. However, due to strong unavoidable background noises from the culture, videos obtained by this technique are too noisy to elaborate this fast infection process without video image processing. In this study, we developed a novel scheme to eliminate background noises, recover background bacteria images and improve video qualities. In our scheme, we modified and implemented the following methods for both host and virus videos: correlation method, round identification method, tree-structured nonlinear filters, Kalman filters, and cell tracking method. After these procedures, most of noises were eliminated and host images were recovered with their moving directions and speed highlighted in the videos. From the analysis of the processed videos, 93% bacteria and 98% viruses were correctly detected in each frame on average.

User oriented ERTS-1 images. [vegetation identification in Canada through image enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlien, S.; Goodenough, D.

1974-01-01

Photographic reproduction of ERTS-1 images are capable of displaying only a portion of the total information available from the multispectral scanner. Methods are being developed to generate ERTS-1 images oriented towards special users such as agriculturists, foresters, and hydrologists by applying image enhancement techniques and interactive statistical classification schemes. Spatial boundaries and linear features can be emphasized and delineated using simple filters. Linear and nonlinear transformations can be applied to the spectral data to emphasize certain ground information. An automatic classification scheme was developed to identify particular ground cover classes such as fallow, grain, rape seed or various vegetation covers. The scheme applies the maximum likelihood decision rule to the spectral information and classifies the ERTS-1 image on a pixel by pixel basis. Preliminary results indicate that the classifier has limited success in distinguishing crops, but is well adapted for identifying different types of vegetation.

A RONI Based Visible Watermarking Approach for Medical Image Authentication.

PubMed

Thanki, Rohit; Borra, Surekha; Dwivedi, Vedvyas; Borisagar, Komal

2017-08-09

Nowadays medical data in terms of image files are often exchanged between different hospitals for use in telemedicine and diagnosis. Visible watermarking being extensively used for Intellectual Property identification of such medical images, leads to serious issues if failed to identify proper regions for watermark insertion. In this paper, the Region of Non-Interest (RONI) based visible watermarking for medical image authentication is proposed. In this technique, to RONI of the cover medical image is first identified using Human Visual System (HVS) model. Later, watermark logo is visibly inserted into RONI of the cover medical image to get watermarked medical image. Finally, the watermarked medical image is compared with the original medical image for measurement of imperceptibility and authenticity of proposed scheme. The experimental results showed that this proposed scheme reduces the computational complexity and improves the PSNR when compared to many existing schemes.

Tag ID Subdivision Scheme for Efficient Authentication and Security-Enhancement of RFID System in USN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kijeong; Park, Byungjoo; Park, Gil-Cheol

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a generic term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the form of a unique serial number) of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves. However, there are security threats in the RFID system related to its technical components. For example, illegal RFID tag readers can read tag ID and recognize most RFID Readers, a security threat that needs in-depth attention. Previous studies show some ideas on how to minimize these security threats like studying the security protocols between tag, reader and Back-end DB. In this research, the team proposes an RFID Tag ID Subdivision Scheme to authenticate the permitted tag only in USN (Ubiquitous Sensor Network). Using the proposed scheme, the Back-end DB authenticates selected tags only to minimize security threats like eavesdropping and decreasing traffic in Back-end DB.

Estimating the parasitaemia of Plasmodium falciparum: experience from a national EQA scheme

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To examine performance of the identification and estimation of percentage parasitaemia of Plasmodium falciparum in stained blood films distributed in the UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme (UKNEQAS) Blood Parasitology Scheme. Methods Analysis of performance for the diagnosis and estimation of the percentage parasitaemia of P. falciparum in Giemsa-stained thin blood films was made over a 15-year period to look for trends in performance. Results An average of 25% of participants failed to estimate the percentage parasitaemia, 17% overestimated and 8% underestimated, whilst 5% misidentified the malaria species present. Conclusions Although the results achieved by participants for other blood parasites have shown an overall improvement, the level of performance for estimation of the parasitaemia of P. falciparum remains unchanged over 15 years. Possible reasons include incorrect calculation, not examining the correct part of the film and not examining an adequate number of microscope fields. PMID:24261625

Evaluation of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification of etiologic agents of bacterial meningitidis. Survey results of an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS) programme.

PubMed

Marandi, Farinaz Rashed; Rahbar, Mohammad; Sabourian, Roghieh; Saremi, Mahnaz

2010-01-01

To determine the ability of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification and susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae as causative agents of bacterial meningitides. Two strains of bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae as a common causative agents of meningitides were chosen and coded as strain number 1 and number 2. The strains were distributed among 679 microbiology laboratories. All laboratories were requested for identification of each unknown microorganism and susceptibility testing of S. pneumoniae against five commonly used antibiotics. Of 679 microbiology laboratories 310 (46%) laboratories participated in the survey and among these, 258 laboratories completely identified S. pneumoniae. About 85% laboratories produced correct susceptibility testing against oxacillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and vancomycin. Of 310 received responses only 50 laboratories identified H. influenza correctly. The majority of the laboratories did not have the capacity to identification H. influenza. Microbiology laboratories in our country are qualified for identification and susceptibility testing of S. pneumoniae. However, majority of laboratories are not qualified for identification of H. influenzae.

A modified NARMAX model-based self-tuner with fault tolerance for unknown nonlinear stochastic hybrid systems with an input-output direct feed-through term.

PubMed

Tsai, Jason S-H; Hsu, Wen-Teng; Lin, Long-Guei; Guo, Shu-Mei; Tann, Joseph W

2014-01-01

A modified nonlinear autoregressive moving average with exogenous inputs (NARMAX) model-based state-space self-tuner with fault tolerance is proposed in this paper for the unknown nonlinear stochastic hybrid system with a direct transmission matrix from input to output. Through the off-line observer/Kalman filter identification method, one has a good initial guess of modified NARMAX model to reduce the on-line system identification process time. Then, based on the modified NARMAX-based system identification, a corresponding adaptive digital control scheme is presented for the unknown continuous-time nonlinear system, with an input-output direct transmission term, which also has measurement and system noises and inaccessible system states. Besides, an effective state space self-turner with fault tolerance scheme is presented for the unknown multivariable stochastic system. A quantitative criterion is suggested by comparing the innovation process error estimated by the Kalman filter estimation algorithm, so that a weighting matrix resetting technique by adjusting and resetting the covariance matrices of parameter estimate obtained by the Kalman filter estimation algorithm is utilized to achieve the parameter estimation for faulty system recovery. Consequently, the proposed method can effectively cope with partially abrupt and/or gradual system faults and input failures by the fault detection. Copyright © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic and serological identification of three Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains as candidates for novel provisional O serotypes.

PubMed

Guo, Xi; Liu, Bin; Chen, Min; Wang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Lu; Chen, Hongyou; Wang, Yao; Tu, Lihong; Zhang, Xi; Feng, Lu

2017-03-20

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative, halophilic Vibrio that naturally inhabits marine and estuarine environments worldwide and has recently been recognized as one of the most important foodborne pathogens. To date, 13 O serotypes and 71 K serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus have been identified. However, untypeable V. parahaemolyticus strains are frequently found during routine detection, indicating that other forms of serotypes exist and suggesting the necessity for extension of the antigenic scheme. In this work, through the genetic analysis of the O serotype genetic determinants (OGDs) and the production of antisera and serological tests, we identified three novel O serotypes of V. parahaemolyticus. Further analyses showed that recombination and gene-set deletions/insertions within OGDs may play key roles in the generation of V. parahaemolyticus O serotype diversity. A PCR method was developed for the identification of these novel O serotypes, and specificity and sensitivity were evaluated. A double-blind test including 283 clinical isolates was performed, giving perfect correlation with the agglutination test results. Generally, our study expanded the O-antigenic scheme of V. parahaemolyticus from 13 to 16 and provided a tool with the potential for the detection and identification of V. parahaemolyticus strains (especially untypeable strains) isolated from both the clinic and the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using artificial intelligence to improve identification of nanofluid gas-liquid two-phase flow pattern in mini-channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jian; Luo, Xiaoping; Feng, Zhenfei; Zhang, Jinxin

2018-01-01

This work combines fuzzy logic and a support vector machine (SVM) with a principal component analysis (PCA) to create an artificial-intelligence system that identifies nanofluid gas-liquid two-phase flow states in a vertical mini-channel. Flow-pattern recognition requires finding the operational details of the process and doing computer simulations and image processing can be used to automate the description of flow patterns in nanofluid gas-liquid two-phase flow. This work uses fuzzy logic and a SVM with PCA to improve the accuracy with which the flow pattern of a nanofluid gas-liquid two-phase flow is identified. To acquire images of nanofluid gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns of flow boiling, a high-speed digital camera was used to record four different types of flow-pattern images, namely annular flow, bubbly flow, churn flow, and slug flow. The textural features extracted by processing the images of nanofluid gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns are used as inputs to various identification schemes such as fuzzy logic, SVM, and SVM with PCA to identify the type of flow pattern. The results indicate that the SVM with reduced characteristics of PCA provides the best identification accuracy and requires less calculation time than the other two schemes. The data reported herein should be very useful for the design and operation of industrial applications.

High performance data acquisition, identification, and monitoring for active magnetic bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herzog, Raoul; Siegwart, Roland

1994-01-01

Future active magnetic bearing systems (AMB) must feature easier on-site tuning, higher stiffness and damping, better robustness with respect to undesirable vibrations in housing and foundation, and enhanced monitoring and identification abilities. To get closer to these goals we developed a fast parallel link from the digitally controlled AMB to Matlab, which is used on a host computer for data processing, identification, and controller layout. This enables the magnetic bearing to take its frequency responses without using any additional measurement equipment. These measurements can be used for AMB identification.

A QR Code Based Zero-Watermarking Scheme for Authentication of Medical Images in Teleradiology Cloud

PubMed Central

Seenivasagam, V.; Velumani, R.

2013-01-01

Healthcare institutions adapt cloud based archiving of medical images and patient records to share them efficiently. Controlled access to these records and authentication of images must be enforced to mitigate fraudulent activities and medical errors. This paper presents a zero-watermarking scheme implemented in the composite Contourlet Transform (CT)—Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) domain for unambiguous authentication of medical images. Further, a framework is proposed for accessing patient records based on the watermarking scheme. The patient identification details and a link to patient data encoded into a Quick Response (QR) code serves as the watermark. In the proposed scheme, the medical image is not subjected to degradations due to watermarking. Patient authentication and authorized access to patient data are realized on combining a Secret Share with the Master Share constructed from invariant features of the medical image. The Hu's invariant image moments are exploited in creating the Master Share. The proposed system is evaluated with Checkmark software and is found to be robust to both geometric and non geometric attacks. PMID:23970943

A QR code based zero-watermarking scheme for authentication of medical images in teleradiology cloud.

PubMed

Seenivasagam, V; Velumani, R

2013-01-01

Healthcare institutions adapt cloud based archiving of medical images and patient records to share them efficiently. Controlled access to these records and authentication of images must be enforced to mitigate fraudulent activities and medical errors. This paper presents a zero-watermarking scheme implemented in the composite Contourlet Transform (CT)-Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) domain for unambiguous authentication of medical images. Further, a framework is proposed for accessing patient records based on the watermarking scheme. The patient identification details and a link to patient data encoded into a Quick Response (QR) code serves as the watermark. In the proposed scheme, the medical image is not subjected to degradations due to watermarking. Patient authentication and authorized access to patient data are realized on combining a Secret Share with the Master Share constructed from invariant features of the medical image. The Hu's invariant image moments are exploited in creating the Master Share. The proposed system is evaluated with Checkmark software and is found to be robust to both geometric and non geometric attacks.

Non-linear hydrodynamical evolution of rotating relativistic stars: numerical methods and code tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Font, José A.; Stergioulas, Nikolaos; Kokkotas, Kostas D.

2000-04-01

We present numerical hydrodynamical evolutions of rapidly rotating relativistic stars, using an axisymmetric, non-linear relativistic hydrodynamics code. We use four different high-resolution shock-capturing (HRSC) finite-difference schemes (based on approximate Riemann solvers) and compare their accuracy in preserving uniformly rotating stationary initial configurations in long-term evolutions. Among these four schemes, we find that the third-order piecewise parabolic method scheme is superior in maintaining the initial rotation law in long-term evolutions, especially near the surface of the star. It is further shown that HRSC schemes are suitable for the evolution of perturbed neutron stars and for the accurate identification (via Fourier transforms) of normal modes of oscillation. This is demonstrated for radial and quadrupolar pulsations in the non-rotating limit, where we find good agreement with frequencies obtained with a linear perturbation code. The code can be used for studying small-amplitude or non-linear pulsations of differentially rotating neutron stars, while our present results serve as testbed computations for three-dimensional general-relativistic evolution codes.

Protein N- and C-Termini Identification Using Mass Spectrometry and Isotopic Labeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A new method for protein N- and C-terminal analysis using mass spectrometry is introduced. A novel stable isotopic labeling scheme has been developed to identify terminal peptides generated from an enzyme digestion for the determination of both N- and C-termini of the protein. This method works dire...

Haemophilus haemolyticus Isolates Causing Clinical Disease

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin; Briere, Elizabeth C.; Katz, Lee S.; Cohn, Amanda C.; Clark, Thomas A.; Messonnier, Nancy E.; Mayer, Leonard W.

2012-01-01

We report seven cases of Haemophilus haemolyticus invasive disease detected in the United States, which were previously misidentified as nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. All cases had different symptoms and presentations. Our study suggests that a testing scheme that includes reliable PCR assays and standard microbiological methods should be used in order to improve H. haemolyticus identification. PMID:22573587

Haemophilus haemolyticus isolates causing clinical disease.

PubMed

Anderson, Raydel; Wang, Xin; Briere, Elizabeth C; Katz, Lee S; Cohn, Amanda C; Clark, Thomas A; Messonnier, Nancy E; Mayer, Leonard W

2012-07-01

We report seven cases of Haemophilus haemolyticus invasive disease detected in the United States, which were previously misidentified as nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. All cases had different symptoms and presentations. Our study suggests that a testing scheme that includes reliable PCR assays and standard microbiological methods should be used in order to improve H. haemolyticus identification.

A Simple Computer Application for the Identification of Conifer Genera

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strain, Steven R.; Chmielewski, Jerry G.

2010-01-01

The National Science Education Standards prescribe that an understanding of the importance of classifying organisms be one component of a student's educational experience in the life sciences. The use of a classification scheme to identify organisms is one way of addressing this goal. We describe Conifer ID, a computer application that assists…

Removal of organic contaminant toxicity from sediments - Early work toward development of a toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lebo, J.A.; Huckins, J.N.; Petty, J.D.; Ho, K.T.

1999-01-01

Work was performed to determine the feasibility of selectively detoxifying organic contaminants in sediments. The results of this research will be used to aid in the development of a scheme for whole-sediment toxicity identification evaluations (TIEs). The context in which the method will be used inherently restricts the treatments to which the sediments can be subjected: Sediments cannot be significantly altered physically or chemically and the presence and bioavailabilities of other toxicants must not be changed. The methodological problem is daunting because of the requirement that the detoxification method be relatively fast and convenient together with the stipulation that only innocuous and minimally invasive treatments be used. Some of the experiments described here dealt with degrees of decontamination (i.e., detoxification as predicted from instrumental measurements) of spiked sediments rather than with degrees of detoxification as gauged by toxicity tests (e.g., 48-h toxicity tests with amphipods). Although the larger TIE scheme itself is mostly outside the scope of this paper, theoretical aspects of bioavailability and of the desorption of organic contaminants from sediments are discussed.

Near-infrared surface-enhanced-Raman-scattering (SERS) mediated identification of single optically trapped, bacterial spores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Troy A.; Gillespie, James B.; Pellegrino, Paul M.; Fell, Nicholas F., Jr.; Wood, Gary L.; Salamo, Gregory J.

2003-03-01

A novel methodology has been developed for the investigation of bacterial spores. Specifically, this method has been used to probe the spore coat composition of several Bacillus species. This technique may be useful in many applications; most notably, development of novel detection schemes toward potentially harmful biological agents. This method would also be useful as an ancillary environmental monitoring system where sterility is of importance (i.e., food preparation areas as well as invasive and minimally invasive medical applications). This unique detection scheme is based on the near-infrared (NIR) Surface-Enhanced-Raman-Scattering (SERS) from single, optically trapped, bacterial spores. The SERS spectra of several bacterial spores in aqueous media have been measured using SERS substrates based on 60-nm diameter gold colloids bound to 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane derivatized glass. The light from a 785-nm laser diode was used to capture/manipulate as well as simultaneously excite the SERS of an individual bacterial spore. The collected SERS spectra were examined for uniqueness and the applicability of this technique for the species identification of bacterial spores.

Progressive calibration and averaging for tandem mass spectrometry statistical confidence estimation: Why settle for a single decoy?

PubMed Central

Keich, Uri; Noble, William Stafford

2017-01-01

Estimating the false discovery rate (FDR) among a list of tandem mass spectrum identifications is mostly done through target-decoy competition (TDC). Here we offer two new methods that can use an arbitrarily small number of additional randomly drawn decoy databases to improve TDC. Specifically, “Partial Calibration” utilizes a new meta-scoring scheme that allows us to gradually benefit from the increase in the number of identifications calibration yields and “Averaged TDC” (a-TDC) reduces the liberal bias of TDC for small FDR values and its variability throughout. Combining a-TDC with “Progressive Calibration” (PC), which attempts to find the “right” number of decoys required for calibration we see substantial impact in real datasets: when analyzing the Plasmodium falciparum data it typically yields almost the entire 17% increase in discoveries that “full calibration” yields (at FDR level 0.05) using 60 times fewer decoys. Our methods are further validated using a novel realistic simulation scheme and importantly, they apply more generally to the problem of controlling the FDR among discoveries from searching an incomplete database. PMID:29326989

Scalable quantum information processing with atomic ensembles and flying photons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mei Feng; Yu Yafei; Feng Mang

2009-10-15

We present a scheme for scalable quantum information processing with atomic ensembles and flying photons. Using the Rydberg blockade, we encode the qubits in the collective atomic states, which could be manipulated fast and easily due to the enhanced interaction in comparison to the single-atom case. We demonstrate that our proposed gating could be applied to generation of two-dimensional cluster states for measurement-based quantum computation. Moreover, the atomic ensembles also function as quantum repeaters useful for long-distance quantum state transfer. We show the possibility of our scheme to work in bad cavity or in weak coupling regime, which could muchmore » relax the experimental requirement. The efficient coherent operations on the ensemble qubits enable our scheme to be switchable between quantum computation and quantum communication using atomic ensembles.« less

Finite-element lattice Boltzmann simulations of contact line dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matin, Rastin; Krzysztof Misztal, Marek; Hernández-García, Anier; Mathiesen, Joachim

2018-01-01

The lattice Boltzmann method has become one of the standard techniques for simulating a wide range of fluid flows. However, the intrinsic coupling of momentum and space discretization restricts the traditional lattice Boltzmann method to regular lattices. Alternative off-lattice Boltzmann schemes exist for both single- and multiphase flows that decouple the velocity discretization from the underlying spatial grid. The current study extends the applicability of these off-lattice methods by introducing a finite element formulation that enables simulating contact line dynamics for partially wetting fluids. This work exemplifies the implementation of the scheme and furthermore presents benchmark experiments that show the scheme reduces spurious currents at the liquid-vapor interface by at least two orders of magnitude compared to a nodal implementation and allows for predicting the equilibrium states accurately in the range of moderate contact angles.

Active Thermal Extraction and Temperature Sensing of Near-field Thermal Radiation

DOE PAGES

Ding, D.; Kim, T.; Minnich, A. J.

2016-09-06

Recently, we proposed an active thermal extraction (ATX) scheme that enables thermally populated surface phonon polaritons to escape into the far-field. The concept is based on a fluorescence upconversion process that also occurs in laser cooling of solids (LCS). Here, we present a generalized analysis of our scheme using the theoretical framework for LCS. We show that both LCS and ATX can be described with the same mathematical formalism by replacing the electron-phonon coupling parameter in LCS with the electron-photon coupling parameter in ATX. Using this framework, we compare the ideal efficiency and power extracted for the two schemes andmore » examine the parasitic loss mechanisms. As a result, this work advances the application of ATX to manipulate near-field thermal radiation for applications such as temperature sensing and active radiative cooling.« less

View compensated compression of volume rendered images for remote visualization.

PubMed

Lalgudi, Hariharan G; Marcellin, Michael W; Bilgin, Ali; Oh, Han; Nadar, Mariappan S

2009-07-01

Remote visualization of volumetric images has gained importance over the past few years in medical and industrial applications. Volume visualization is a computationally intensive process, often requiring hardware acceleration to achieve a real time viewing experience. One remote visualization model that can accomplish this would transmit rendered images from a server, based on viewpoint requests from a client. For constrained server-client bandwidth, an efficient compression scheme is vital for transmitting high quality rendered images. In this paper, we present a new view compensation scheme that utilizes the geometric relationship between viewpoints to exploit the correlation between successive rendered images. The proposed method obviates motion estimation between rendered images, enabling significant reduction to the complexity of a compressor. Additionally, the view compensation scheme, in conjunction with JPEG2000 performs better than AVC, the state of the art video compression standard.

Cluster synchronization transmission of different external signals in discrete uncertain network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chengren; Lü, Ling; Chen, Liansong; Hong, Yixuan; Zhou, Shuang; Yang, Yiming

2018-07-01

We research cluster synchronization transmissions of different external signals in discrete uncertain network. Based on the Lyapunov theorem, the network controller and the identification law of uncertain adjustment parameter are designed, and they are efficiently used to achieve the cluster synchronization and the identification of uncertain adjustment parameter. In our technical scheme, the network nodes in each cluster and the transmitted external signal can be different, and they allow the presence of uncertain parameters in the network. Especially, we are free to choose the clustering topologies, the cluster number and the node number in each cluster.

Website launch has potential to promote digital inclusion.

PubMed

2008-02-01

The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a social networking website akin to Facebook and Myspace to enable the over-50s to communicate with the government and each other about issues that concern them. The site, www.generationxperience.wordpress.com , is a pilot scheme.

Competency based advanced training in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry: a NSW prototype.

PubMed

Johnson, Keith; Bowden, Michael; Coyne, David; Trollor, Julian

2013-08-01

This paper describes a competency based advanced training year in adult Intellectual Disability Psychiatry enabled through a partnership between disability and mental health sectors. This training experience could be viewed as a prototype for further specialised training schemes in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry, and has relevance for the implementation of competency based psychiatric training schemes in Australia. The need for a specific training curriculum in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry is outlined with reference to epidemiological evidence and human rights. The formulation of the training programme and the training experience itself is described and evaluated. Conclusions on the implications of this experience for the future competency based training schemes are drawn. Building a skilled workforce is necessary to address the significant inequalities in mental health experienced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A significant initial step for this would be the development of a specialised training curriculum. Service provision for this population is scattered across many disciplines and organisations with historically little mutual cooperation. Additionally, proposed competency-based training schemes stipulate that a medical expert develops a wide skill set across multiple domains. Thus, formal cross sector collaboration is fundamental for any competency based training scheme to be feasible.

A Systematic Scheme for Multiple Access in Ethernet Passive Optical Access Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Maode; Zhu, Yongqing; Hiang Cheng, Tee

2005-11-01

While backbone networks have experienced substantial changes in the last decade, access networks have not changed much. Recently, passive optical networks (PONs) seem to be ready for commercial deployment as access networks, due to the maturity of a number of enabling technologies. Among the PON technologies, Ethernet PON (EPON) standardized by the IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) Task Force is the most attractive one because of its high speed, low cost, familiarity, interoperability, and low overhead. In this paper, we consider the issue of upstream channel sharing in the EPONs. We propose a novel multiple-access control scheme to provide bandwidth-guaranteed service for high-demand customers, while providing best effort service to low-demand customers according to the service level agreement (SLA). The analytical and simulation results prove that the proposed scheme performs best in what it is designed to do compared to another well-known scheme that has not considered providing differentiated services. With business customers preferring premium services with guaranteed bandwidth and residential users preferring low-cost best effort services, our scheme could benefit both groups of subscribers, as well as the operators.

Localization-Free Detection of Replica Node Attacks in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Similarity Estimation with Group Deployment Knowledge

PubMed Central

Ding, Chao; Yang, Lijun; Wu, Meng

2017-01-01

Due to the unattended nature and poor security guarantee of the wireless sensor networks (WSNs), adversaries can easily make replicas of compromised nodes, and place them throughout the network to launch various types of attacks. Such an attack is dangerous because it enables the adversaries to control large numbers of nodes and extend the damage of attacks to most of the network with quite limited cost. To stop the node replica attack, we propose a location similarity-based detection scheme using deployment knowledge. Compared with prior solutions, our scheme provides extra functionalities that prevent replicas from generating false location claims without deploying resource-consuming localization techniques on the resource-constraint sensor nodes. We evaluate the security performance of our proposal under different attack strategies through heuristic analysis, and show that our scheme achieves secure and robust replica detection by increasing the cost of node replication. Additionally, we evaluate the impact of network environment on the proposed scheme through theoretic analysis and simulation experiments, and indicate that our scheme achieves effectiveness and efficiency with substantially lower communication, computational, and storage overhead than prior works under different situations and attack strategies. PMID:28098846

Localization-Free Detection of Replica Node Attacks in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Similarity Estimation with Group Deployment Knowledge.

PubMed

Ding, Chao; Yang, Lijun; Wu, Meng

2017-01-15

Due to the unattended nature and poor security guarantee of the wireless sensor networks (WSNs), adversaries can easily make replicas of compromised nodes, and place them throughout the network to launch various types of attacks. Such an attack is dangerous because it enables the adversaries to control large numbers of nodes and extend the damage of attacks to most of the network with quite limited cost. To stop the node replica attack, we propose a location similarity-based detection scheme using deployment knowledge. Compared with prior solutions, our scheme provides extra functionalities that prevent replicas from generating false location claims without deploying resource-consuming localization techniques on the resource-constraint sensor nodes. We evaluate the security performance of our proposal under different attack strategies through heuristic analysis, and show that our scheme achieves secure and robust replica detection by increasing the cost of node replication. Additionally, we evaluate the impact of network environment on the proposed scheme through theoretic analysis and simulation experiments, and indicate that our scheme achieves effectiveness and efficiency with substantially lower communication, computational, and storage overhead than prior works under different situations and attack strategies.

Smart phones: platform enabling modular, chemical, biological, and explosives sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finch, Amethist S.; Coppock, Matthew; Bickford, Justin R.; Conn, Marvin A.; Proctor, Thomas J.; Stratis-Cullum, Dimitra N.

2013-05-01

Reliable, robust, and portable technologies are needed for the rapid identification and detection of chemical, biological, and explosive (CBE) materials. A key to addressing the persistent threat to U.S. troops in the current war on terror is the rapid detection and identification of the precursor materials used in development of improvised explosive devices, homemade explosives, and bio-warfare agents. However, a universal methodology for detection and prevention of CBE materials in the use of these devices has proven difficult. Herein, we discuss our efforts towards the development of a modular, robust, inexpensive, pervasive, archival, and compact platform (android based smart phone) enabling the rapid detection of these materials.

Identification of nonlinear modes using phase-locked-loop experimental continuation and normal form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, V.; Jossic, M.; Giraud-Audine, C.; Chomette, B.; Renault, A.; Thomas, O.

2018-06-01

In this article, we address the model identification of nonlinear vibratory systems, with a specific focus on systems modeled with distributed nonlinearities, such as geometrically nonlinear mechanical structures. The proposed strategy theoretically relies on the concept of nonlinear modes of the underlying conservative unforced system and the use of normal forms. Within this framework, it is shown that without internal resonance, a valid reduced order model for a nonlinear mode is a single Duffing oscillator. We then propose an efficient experimental strategy to measure the backbone curve of a particular nonlinear mode and we use it to identify the free parameters of the reduced order model. The experimental part relies on a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) and enables a robust and automatic measurement of backbone curves as well as forced responses. It is theoretically and experimentally shown that the PLL is able to stabilize the unstable part of Duffing-like frequency responses, thus enabling its robust experimental measurement. Finally, the whole procedure is tested on three experimental systems: a circular plate, a chinese gong and a piezoelectric cantilever beam. It enable to validate the procedure by comparison to available theoretical models as well as to other experimental identification methods.

Apodization of spurs in radar receivers using multi-channel processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doerry, Armin W.; Bickel, Douglas L.

The various technologies presented herein relate to identification and mitigation of spurious energies or signals (aka "spurs") in radar imaging. Spurious energy in received radar data can be a consequence of non-ideal component and circuit behavior. Such behavior can result from I/Q imbalance, nonlinear component behavior, additive interference (e.g. cross-talk, etc.), etc. The manifestation of the spurious energy in a radar image (e.g., a range-Doppler map) can be influenced by appropriate pulse-to-pulse phase modulation. Comparing multiple images which have been processed using the same data but of different signal paths and modulations enables identification of undesired spurs, with subsequent croppingmore » or apodization of the undesired spurs from a radar image. Spurs can be identified by comparison with a threshold energy. Removal of an undesired spur enables enhanced identification of true targets in a radar image.« less

A generic guide to the larvae of the Nearctic Tanytarsini, (Chironomidae:diptera)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steiner, J.W.; Doughman, J.S.; Moore, C.R.

1982-01-01

Larvae of the tribe Tanytarsini occur in nearly every aquatic habitat in North America where they act as primary consumers in the food chain. This new taxonomic guide overcomes some deficiencies in existing keys to this tribe and the reviewed and updated taxonomy enables identification of the larvae that may be useful as ecological indicators. Over 2,000 specimens from 26 states were examined, identified and measured in this study. The following genera were included: Stempellinell, Zavrelia, Stempellina, Constempellina, Corynocera, Cladotanytarsus,.. Paratanytarsus, Rheotanytarsus,. Micropsectra, Lauterbornia, Nimbocera, Tanytarsus and Neozavrelia. Photographs illustrate mature larvae of these genera with the exception of Zavrelia and Neozavrelia which are not known to exist in North America. The morphological data, Which are summarized in a table of distinctive characteristics and the dichotomous key, enable identification to genus. Notes on range, habitat and food preference are included, and species identifications are presented where applicable.

Feature tracking for automated volume of interest stabilization on 4D-OCT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laves, Max-Heinrich; Schoob, Andreas; Kahrs, Lüder A.; Pfeiffer, Tom; Huber, Robert; Ortmaier, Tobias

2017-03-01

A common representation of volumetric medical image data is the triplanar view (TV), in which the surgeon manually selects slices showing the anatomical structure of interest. In addition to common medical imaging such as MRI or computed tomography, recent advances in the field of optical coherence tomography (OCT) have enabled live processing and volumetric rendering of four-dimensional images of the human body. Due to the region of interest undergoing motion, it is challenging for the surgeon to simultaneously keep track of an object by continuously adjusting the TV to desired slices. To select these slices in subsequent frames automatically, it is necessary to track movements of the volume of interest (VOI). This has not been addressed with respect to 4DOCT images yet. Therefore, this paper evaluates motion tracking by applying state-of-the-art tracking schemes on maximum intensity projections (MIP) of 4D-OCT images. Estimated VOI location is used to conveniently show corresponding slices and to improve the MIPs by calculating thin-slab MIPs. Tracking performances are evaluated on an in-vivo sequence of human skin, captured at 26 volumes per second. Among investigated tracking schemes, our recently presented tracking scheme for soft tissue motion provides highest accuracy with an error of under 2.2 voxels for the first 80 volumes. Object tracking on 4D-OCT images enables its use for sub-epithelial tracking of microvessels for image-guidance.

From WSN towards WoT: Open API Scheme Based on oneM2M Platforms.

PubMed

Kim, Jaeho; Choi, Sung-Chan; Ahn, Il-Yeup; Sung, Nak-Myoung; Yun, Jaeseok

2016-10-06

Conventional computing systems have been able to be integrated into daily objects and connected to each other due to advances in computing and network technologies, such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs), forming a global network infrastructure, called the Internet of Things (IoT). To support the interconnection and interoperability between heterogeneous IoT systems, the availability of standardized, open application programming interfaces (APIs) is one of the key features of common software platforms for IoT devices, gateways, and servers. In this paper, we present a standardized way of extending previously-existing WSNs towards IoT systems, building the world of the Web of Things (WoT). Based on the oneM2M software platforms developed in the previous project, we introduce a well-designed open API scheme and device-specific thing adaptation software (TAS) enabling WSN elements, such as a wireless sensor node, to be accessed in a standardized way on a global scale. Three pilot services are implemented (i.e., a WiFi-enabled smart flowerpot, voice-based control for ZigBee-connected home appliances, and WiFi-connected AR.Drone control) to demonstrate the practical usability of the open API scheme and TAS modules. Full details on the method of integrating WSN elements into three example systems are described at the programming code level, which is expected to help future researchers in integrating their WSN systems in IoT platforms, such as oneM2M. We hope that the flexibly-deployable, easily-reusable common open API scheme and TAS-based integration method working with the oneM2M platforms will help the conventional WSNs in diverse industries evolve into the emerging WoT solutions.

Advanced digital signal processing for short-haul and access network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junwen; Yu, Jianjun; Chi, Nan

2016-02-01

Digital signal processing (DSP) has been proved to be a successful technology recently in high speed and high spectrum-efficiency optical short-haul and access network, which enables high performances based on digital equalizations and compensations. In this paper, we investigate advanced DSP at the transmitter and receiver side for signal pre-equalization and post-equalization in an optical access network. A novel DSP-based digital and optical pre-equalization scheme has been proposed for bandwidth-limited high speed short-distance communication system, which is based on the feedback of receiver-side adaptive equalizers, such as least-mean-squares (LMS) algorithm and constant or multi-modulus algorithms (CMA, MMA). Based on this scheme, we experimentally demonstrate 400GE on a single optical carrier based on the highest ETDM 120-GBaud PDM-PAM-4 signal, using one external modulator and coherent detection. A line rate of 480-Gb/s is achieved, which enables 20% forward-error correction (FEC) overhead to keep the 400-Gb/s net information rate. The performance after fiber transmission shows large margin for both short range and metro/regional networks. We also extend the advanced DSP for short haul optical access networks by using high order QAMs. We propose and demonstrate a high speed multi-band CAP-WDM-PON system on intensity modulation, direct detection and digital equalizations. A hybrid modified cascaded MMA post-equalization schemes are used to equalize the multi-band CAP-mQAM signals. Using this scheme, we successfully demonstrates 550Gb/s high capacity WDMPON system with 11 WDM channels, 55 sub-bands, and 10-Gb/s per user in the downstream over 40-km SMF.

From WSN towards WoT: Open API Scheme Based on oneM2M Platforms

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaeho; Choi, Sung-Chan; Ahn, Il-Yeup; Sung, Nak-Myoung; Yun, Jaeseok

2016-01-01

Conventional computing systems have been able to be integrated into daily objects and connected to each other due to advances in computing and network technologies, such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs), forming a global network infrastructure, called the Internet of Things (IoT). To support the interconnection and interoperability between heterogeneous IoT systems, the availability of standardized, open application programming interfaces (APIs) is one of the key features of common software platforms for IoT devices, gateways, and servers. In this paper, we present a standardized way of extending previously-existing WSNs towards IoT systems, building the world of the Web of Things (WoT). Based on the oneM2M software platforms developed in the previous project, we introduce a well-designed open API scheme and device-specific thing adaptation software (TAS) enabling WSN elements, such as a wireless sensor node, to be accessed in a standardized way on a global scale. Three pilot services are implemented (i.e., a WiFi-enabled smart flowerpot, voice-based control for ZigBee-connected home appliances, and WiFi-connected AR.Drone control) to demonstrate the practical usability of the open API scheme and TAS modules. Full details on the method of integrating WSN elements into three example systems are described at the programming code level, which is expected to help future researchers in integrating their WSN systems in IoT platforms, such as oneM2M. We hope that the flexibly-deployable, easily-reusable common open API scheme and TAS-based integration method working with the oneM2M platforms will help the conventional WSNs in diverse industries evolve into the emerging WoT solutions. PMID:27782058

A scoring scheme for evaluating magnetofossil identifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopp, R. E.; Kirschvink, J. L.

2007-12-01

In many Quaternary lacustrine and marine settings, fossil magnetotactic bacteria are a major contributor to sedimentary magnetization [1]. Magnetite particles produced by magnetotactic bacteria have traits, shaped by natural selection, that increase the efficiency with which the bacteria utilize iron and also facilitate the recognition of the particles' biological origin. In particular, magnetotactic bacteria generally produce particles with characteristic shapes and narrow size and shape distributions that lie within the single domain stability field. The particles have effective positive magnetic anisotropy, produced by alignment in chains and frequently by particle elongation. In addition, the crystals are often nearly stochiometric and have few crystallographic defects. Yet, despite these distinctive traits, there are few identified magnetofossils that predate the Quaternary, and many putative identifications are highly controversial. We propose a six-criteria scoring scheme for evaluating identifications based on the quality of the geological, magnetic, and electron microscopic evidence. Our criteria are: (1) whether the geological context is well-constrained stratigraphically, and whether paleomagnetic evidence suggests a primary magnetization; (2) whether magnetic or microscopic evidence support the presence of significant single-domain magnetite; (3) whether magnetic or ferromagnetic resonance evidence indicates narrow size and shape distributions, and whether microscopic evidence reveals single-domain particles with truncated edges, elongate single-domain particles, and/or narrow size and shape distributions; (4) whether ferromagnetic resonance, low-temperature magnetic, or electron microscopic evidence reveals the presence of chains; (5) whether low-temperature magnetometry, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, or other techniques demonstrate the near-stochiometry of the particles; and (6) whether high-resolution TEM indicates the near- absence of crystallographic defects. We use criterion 1 to set the threshold for determining whether a magnetofossil identification is robust. Criteria 3 and 4 are assigned numerical scores that range from 0 to 4, while criteria 2, 5, and 6 are evaluated based on presence or absence. Based on this scheme, the oldest robust magnetofossils yet found come from the Cretaceous chalk beds of southern England [2], though Lower Cambrian limestones of the Pestrotsvet Formation, Siberia Platform, only marginally fail to meet our robust criteria [3]. Although magnetofossils have also been reported from Proterozoic, Archean, and Martian rocks, none of these identifications are robust. References: [1] R. E. Kopp and J. L. Kirschvink (2007). Earth Sci. Rev. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2007.08.001. [2] P. Montgomery et al. (1998). Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 156: 209-224. [3] S. B. R. Chang et al. (1987). Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 46: 289-303.

Mobility as a Fusion Enabler

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

identification sensor is then VrT where T is some reasonable time in comparison to the approach speed of a potentially hostile contact. In fact, if the...effective range of the identification sensor on the mobile platform is VrT = VrA/Vh = h r V VA Further detail of such analysis is ongoing as part

An Efficient User Authentication and User Anonymity Scheme with Provably Security for IoT-Based Medical Care System

PubMed Central

Wu, Tsu-Yang; Chen, Chin-Ling; Lee, Cheng-Chi; Chen, Chien-Ming

2017-01-01

In recent years, with the increase in degenerative diseases and the aging population in advanced countries, demands for medical care of older or solitary people have increased continually in hospitals and healthcare institutions. Applying wireless sensor networks for the IoT-based telemedicine system enables doctors, caregivers or families to monitor patients’ physiological conditions at anytime and anyplace according to the acquired information. However, transmitting physiological data through the Internet concerns the personal privacy of patients. Therefore, before users can access medical care services in IoT-based medical care system, they must be authenticated. Typically, user authentication and data encryption are most critical for securing network communications over a public channel between two or more participants. In 2016, Liu and Chung proposed a bilinear pairing-based password authentication scheme for wireless healthcare sensor networks. They claimed their authentication scheme cannot only secure sensor data transmission, but also resist various well-known security attacks. In this paper, we demonstrate that Liu–Chung’s scheme has some security weaknesses, and we further present an improved secure authentication and data encryption scheme for the IoT-based medical care system, which can provide user anonymity and prevent the security threats of replay and password/sensed data disclosure attacks. Moreover, we modify the authentication process to reduce redundancy in protocol design, and the proposed scheme is more efficient in performance compared with previous related schemes. Finally, the proposed scheme is provably secure in the random oracle model under ECDHP. PMID:28644381

Sensor Fault Detection and Diagnosis Simulation of a Helicopter Engine in an Intelligent Control Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litt, Jonathan; Kurtkaya, Mehmet; Duyar, Ahmet

1994-01-01

This paper presents an application of a fault detection and diagnosis scheme for the sensor faults of a helicopter engine. The scheme utilizes a model-based approach with real time identification and hypothesis testing which can provide early detection, isolation, and diagnosis of failures. It is an integral part of a proposed intelligent control system with health monitoring capabilities. The intelligent control system will allow for accommodation of faults, reduce maintenance cost, and increase system availability. The scheme compares the measured outputs of the engine with the expected outputs of an engine whose sensor suite is functioning normally. If the differences between the real and expected outputs exceed threshold values, a fault is detected. The isolation of sensor failures is accomplished through a fault parameter isolation technique where parameters which model the faulty process are calculated on-line with a real-time multivariable parameter estimation algorithm. The fault parameters and their patterns can then be analyzed for diagnostic and accommodation purposes. The scheme is applied to the detection and diagnosis of sensor faults of a T700 turboshaft engine. Sensor failures are induced in a T700 nonlinear performance simulation and data obtained are used with the scheme to detect, isolate, and estimate the magnitude of the faults.

A Fully Coupled Simulation and Optimization Scheme for the Design of 3D Powder Injection Molding Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayad, G.; Song, J.; Barriere, T.; Liu, B.; Gelin, J. C.

2007-05-01

The paper is concerned with optimization and parametric identification of Powder Injection Molding process that consists first in injection of powder mixture with polymer binder and then to the sintering of the resulting powders parts by solid state diffusion. In the first part, one describes an original methodology to optimize the injection stage based on the combination of Design Of Experiments and an adaptive Response Surface Modeling. Then the second part of the paper describes the identification strategy that one proposes for the sintering stage, using the identification of sintering parameters from dilatometer curves followed by the optimization of the sintering process. The proposed approaches are applied to the optimization for manufacturing of a ceramic femoral implant. One demonstrates that the proposed approach give satisfactory results.

Injection-controlled laser resonator

DOEpatents

Chang, J.J.

1995-07-18

A new injection-controlled laser resonator incorporates self-filtering and self-imaging characteristics with an efficient injection scheme. A low-divergence laser signal is injected into the resonator, which enables the injection signal to be converted to the desired resonator modes before the main laser pulse starts. This injection technique and resonator design enable the laser cavity to improve the quality of the injection signal through self-filtering before the main laser pulse starts. The self-imaging property of the present resonator reduces the cavity induced diffraction effects and, in turn, improves the laser beam quality. 5 figs.

Injection-controlled laser resonator

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.

1995-07-18

A new injection-controlled laser resonator incorporates self-filtering and self-imaging characteristics with an efficient injection scheme. A low-divergence laser signal is injected into the resonator, which enables the injection signal to be converted to the desired resonator modes before the main laser pulse starts. This injection technique and resonator design enable the laser cavity to improve the quality of the injection signal through self-filtering before the main laser pulse starts. The self-imaging property of the present resonator reduces the cavity induced diffraction effects and, in turn, improves the laser beam quality.

Automated Photoreceptor Cell Identification on Nonconfocal Adaptive Optics Images Using Multiscale Circular Voting

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianfei; Jung, HaeWon; Dubra, Alfredo; Tam, Johnny

2017-01-01

Purpose Adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) has enabled quantification of the photoreceptor mosaic in the living human eye using metrics such as cell density and average spacing. These rely on the identification of individual cells. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach for computer-aided identification of cone photoreceptors on nonconfocal split detection AOSLO images. Methods Algorithms for identification of cone photoreceptors were developed, based on multiscale circular voting (MSCV) in combination with a priori knowledge that split detection images resemble Nomarski differential interference contrast images, in which dark and bright regions are present on the two sides of each cell. The proposed algorithm locates dark and bright region pairs, iteratively refining the identification across multiple scales. Identification accuracy was assessed in data from 10 subjects by comparing automated identifications with manual labeling, followed by computation of density and spacing metrics for comparison to histology and published data. Results There was good agreement between manual and automated cone identifications with overall recall, precision, and F1 score of 92.9%, 90.8%, and 91.8%, respectively. On average, computed density and spacing values using automated identification were within 10.7% and 11.2% of the expected histology values across eccentricities ranging from 0.5 to 6.2 mm. There was no statistically significant difference between MSCV-based and histology-based density measurements (P = 0.96, Kolmogorov-Smirnov 2-sample test). Conclusions MSCV can accurately detect cone photoreceptors on split detection images across a range of eccentricities, enabling quick, objective estimation of photoreceptor mosaic metrics, which will be important for future clinical trials utilizing adaptive optics. PMID:28873173

Approximate Synchrony: An Abstraction for Distributed Almost Synchronous Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-29

finding bugs. Verification of the TSCH Protocol. Time Synchronized Channel Hopping (TSCH) is a Medium Access Control scheme that enables low power...allotted by the schedule and remain in sleep mode otherwise. In the ab- sence of precise time-synchronization, the time-slots across nodes would not be

Next Generation Clustered Heat Maps | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Cancer.gov

Next-Generation (Clustered) Heat Maps are interactive heat maps that enable the user to zoom and pan across the heatmap, alter its color scheme, generate production quality PDFs, and link out from rows, columns, and individual heatmap entries to related statistics, databases and other information.

Recording of individual identification information on dental prostheses using fluorescent material and ultraviolet light.

PubMed

Naito, Yoshihito; Meinar, Ashrin N; Iwawaki, Yuki; Kashiwabara, Toshiya; Goto, Takaharu; Ito, Teruaki; Sakuma, Tetsuro; Ichikawa, Tetsuo

2013-01-01

The placement of individual identification on a prosthesis is very important for forensic dentistry and traceability. This article describes the unique naming/labeling of dentures with information for individual identification using a method in which information is invisible under natural light but visible under ultraviolet light-emitting diode/black light exposure. The use of laser beam machining with this method will enable the recording of a large amount of information.

What are the emerging features of community health insurance schemes in East Africa?

PubMed Central

Basaza, Robert; Pariyo, George; Criel, Bart

2009-01-01

Background The three East African countries of Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya are characterized by high poverty levels, population growth rates, prevalence of HIV/AIDS, under-funding of the health sector, poor access to quality health care, and small health insurance coverage. Tanzania and Kenya have user-fees whereas Uganda abolished user-fees in public-owned health units. Objective To provide comparative description of community health insurance (CHI) schemes in three East African countries of Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya and thereafter provide a basis for future policy research for development of CHI schemes. Methods An analytical grid of 10 distinctive items pertaining to the nature of CHI schemes was developed so as to have a uniform lens of comparing country situations of CHI. Results and conclusions The majority of the schemes have been in existence for a relatively short time of less than 10 years and their number remains small. There is need for further research to identify what is the mix and weight of factors that cause people to refrain from joining schemes. Specific issues that could also be addressed in subsequent studies are whether the current schemes provide financial protection, increase access to quality of care and impact on the equity of health services financing and delivery. On the basis of this knowledge, rational policy decisions can be taken. The governments thereafter could consider an option of playing more roles in advocacy, paying for the poorest, and developing an enabling policy and legal framework. PMID:22312207

M13 Bacteriophage Based Protein Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ju Hun

Despite significant progress in biotechnology and biosensing, early detection and disease diagnosis remains a critical issue for improving patient survival rates and well-being. Many of the typical detection schemes currently used possess issues such as low sensitivity and accuracy and are also time consuming to run and expensive. In addition, multiplexed detection remains difficult to achieve. Therefore, developing advanced approaches for reliable, simple, quantitative analysis of multiple markers in solution that also are highly sensitive are still in demand. In recent years, much of the research has primarily focused on improving two key components of biosensors: the bio-recognition agent (bio-receptor) and the transducer. Particular bio-receptors that have been used include antibodies, aptamers, molecular imprinted polymers, and small affinity peptides. In terms of transducing agents, nanomaterials have been considered as attractive candidates due to their inherent nanoscale size, durability and unique chemical and physical properties. The key focus of this thesis is the design of a protein detection and identification system that is based on chemically engineered M13 bacteriophage coupled with nanomaterials. The first chapter provides an introduction of biosensors and M13 bacteriophage in general, where the advantages of each are provided. In chapter 2, an efficient and enzyme-free sensor is demonstrated from modified M13 bacteriophage to generate highly sensitive colorimetric signals from gold nanocrystals. In chapter 3, DNA conjugated M13 were used to enable facile and rapid detection of antigens in solution that also provides modalities for identification. Lastly, high DNA loadings per phage was achieved via hydrozone chemistry and these were applied in conjunction with Raman active DNA-gold/silver core/shell nanoparticles toward highly sensitive SERS sensing.

An ontology-driven semantic mash-up of gene and biological pathway information: Application to the domain of nicotine dependence

PubMed Central

Sahoo, Satya S.; Bodenreider, Olivier; Rutter, Joni L.; Skinner, Karen J.; Sheth, Amit P.

2008-01-01

Objectives This paper illustrates how Semantic Web technologies (especially RDF, OWL, and SPARQL) can support information integration and make it easy to create semantic mashups (semantically integrated resources). In the context of understanding the genetic basis of nicotine dependence, we integrate gene and pathway information and show how three complex biological queries can be answered by the integrated knowledge base. Methods We use an ontology-driven approach to integrate two gene resources (Entrez Gene and HomoloGene) and three pathway resources (KEGG, Reactome and BioCyc), for five organisms, including humans. We created the Entrez Knowledge Model (EKoM), an information model in OWL for the gene resources, and integrated it with the extant BioPAX ontology designed for pathway resources. The integrated schema is populated with data from the pathway resources, publicly available in BioPAX-compatible format, and gene resources for which a population procedure was created. The SPARQL query language is used to formulate queries over the integrated knowledge base to answer the three biological queries. Results Simple SPARQL queries could easily identify hub genes, i.e., those genes whose gene products participate in many pathways or interact with many other gene products. The identification of the genes expressed in the brain turned out to be more difficult, due to the lack of a common identification scheme for proteins. Conclusion Semantic Web technologies provide a valid framework for information integration in the life sciences. Ontology-driven integration represents a flexible, sustainable and extensible solution to the integration of large volumes of information. Additional resources, which enable the creation of mappings between information sources, are required to compensate for heterogeneity across namespaces. Resource page http://knoesis.wright.edu/research/lifesci/integration/structured_data/JBI-2008/ PMID:18395495

An ontology-driven semantic mashup of gene and biological pathway information: application to the domain of nicotine dependence.

PubMed

Sahoo, Satya S; Bodenreider, Olivier; Rutter, Joni L; Skinner, Karen J; Sheth, Amit P

2008-10-01

This paper illustrates how Semantic Web technologies (especially RDF, OWL, and SPARQL) can support information integration and make it easy to create semantic mashups (semantically integrated resources). In the context of understanding the genetic basis of nicotine dependence, we integrate gene and pathway information and show how three complex biological queries can be answered by the integrated knowledge base. We use an ontology-driven approach to integrate two gene resources (Entrez Gene and HomoloGene) and three pathway resources (KEGG, Reactome and BioCyc), for five organisms, including humans. We created the Entrez Knowledge Model (EKoM), an information model in OWL for the gene resources, and integrated it with the extant BioPAX ontology designed for pathway resources. The integrated schema is populated with data from the pathway resources, publicly available in BioPAX-compatible format, and gene resources for which a population procedure was created. The SPARQL query language is used to formulate queries over the integrated knowledge base to answer the three biological queries. Simple SPARQL queries could easily identify hub genes, i.e., those genes whose gene products participate in many pathways or interact with many other gene products. The identification of the genes expressed in the brain turned out to be more difficult, due to the lack of a common identification scheme for proteins. Semantic Web technologies provide a valid framework for information integration in the life sciences. Ontology-driven integration represents a flexible, sustainable and extensible solution to the integration of large volumes of information. Additional resources, which enable the creation of mappings between information sources, are required to compensate for heterogeneity across namespaces. RESOURCE PAGE: http://knoesis.wright.edu/research/lifesci/integration/structured_data/JBI-2008/

Rapid two-dimensional ALSOFAST-HSQC experiment for metabolomics and fluxomics studies: application to a 13C-enriched cancer cell model treated with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Schätzlein, Martina Palomino; Becker, Johanna; Schulze-Sünninghausen, David; Pineda-Lucena, Antonio; Herance, José Raul; Luy, Burkhard

2018-04-01

Isotope labeling enables the use of 13 C-based metabolomics techniques with strongly improved resolution for a better identification of relevant metabolites and tracing of metabolic fluxes in cell and animal models, as required in fluxomics studies. However, even at high NMR-active isotope abundance, the acquisition of one-dimensional 13 C and classical two-dimensional 1 H, 13 C-HSQC experiments remains time consuming. With the aim to provide a shorter, more efficient alternative, herein we explored the ALSOFAST-HSQC experiment with its rapid acquisition scheme for the analysis of 13 C-labeled metabolites in complex biological mixtures. As an initial step, the parameters of the pulse sequence were optimized to take into account the specific characteristics of the complex samples. We then applied the fast two-dimensional experiment to study the effect of different kinds of antioxidant gold nanoparticles on a HeLa cancer cell model grown on 13 C glucose-enriched medium. As a result, 1 H, 13 C-2D correlations could be obtained in a couple of seconds to few minutes, allowing a simple and reliable identification of various 13 C-enriched metabolites and the determination of specific variations between the different sample groups. Thus, it was possible to monitor glucose metabolism in the cell model and study the antioxidant effect of the coated gold nanoparticles in detail. Finally, with an experiment time of only half an hour, highly resolved 1 H, 13 C-HSQC spectra using the ALSOFAST-HSQC pulse sequence were acquired, revealing the isotope-position-patterns of the corresponding 13 C-nuclei from carbon multiplets. Graphical abstract Fast NMR applied to metabolomics and fluxomics studies with gold nanoparticles.

Reframing measurement for structural health monitoring: a full-field strategy for structural identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dizaji, Mehrdad S.; Harris, Devin K.; Alipour, Mohamad; Ozbulut, Osman E.

2018-03-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) describes a decision-making framework that is fundamentally guided by state change detection of structural systems. This framework typically relies on the use of continuous or semi-continuous monitoring of measured response to quantify this state change in structural system behavior, which is often related to the initiation of some form of damage. Measurement approaches used for traditional SHM are numerous, but most are limited to either describing localized or global phenomena, making it challenging to characterize operational structural systems which exhibit both. In addition to these limitations in sensing, SHM has also suffered from the inherent robustness inherent to most full-scale structural systems, making it challenging to identify local damage. These challenges highlight the opportunity for alternative strategies for SHM, strategies that are able to provide data suitable to translate into rich information. This paper describes preliminary results from a refined structural identification (St-ID) approach using fullfield measurements derived from high-speed 3D Digital Image Correlation (HSDIC) to characterize uncertain parameters (i.e. boundary and constitutive properties) of a laboratory scale structural component. The St-ID approach builds from prior work by supplementing full-field deflection and strain response with vibration response derived from HSDIC. Inclusion of the modal characteristics within a hybrid-genetic algorithm optimization scheme allowed for simultaneous integration of mechanical and modal response, thus enabling a more robust St-ID strategy than could be achieved with traditional sensing techniques. The use of full-field data is shown to provide a more comprehensive representation of the global and local behavior, which in turn increases the robustness of the St-Id framework. This work serves as the foundation for a new paradigm in SHM that emphasizes characterizing structural performance using a smaller number, but richer set of measurements.

Large-scale transcriptome characterization and mass discovery of SNPs in globe artichoke and its related taxa.

PubMed

Scaglione, Davide; Lanteri, Sergio; Acquadro, Alberto; Lai, Zhao; Knapp, Steven J; Rieseberg, Loren; Portis, Ezio

2012-10-01

Cynara cardunculus (2n = 2× = 34) is a member of the Asteraceae family that contributes significantly to the agricultural economy of the Mediterranean basin. The species includes two cultivated varieties, globe artichoke and cardoon, which are grown mainly for food. Cynara cardunculus is an orphan crop species whose genome/transcriptome has been relatively unexplored, especially in comparison to other Asteraceae crops. Hence, there is a significant need to improve its genomic resources through the identification of novel genes and sequence-based markers, to design new breeding schemes aimed at increasing quality and crop productivity. We report the outcome of cDNA sequencing and assembly for eleven accessions of C. cardunculus. Sequencing of three mapping parental genotypes using Roche 454-Titanium technology generated 1.7 × 10⁶ reads, which were assembled into 38,726 reference transcripts covering 32 Mbp. Putative enzyme-encoding genes were annotated using the KEGG-database. Transcription factors and candidate resistance genes were surveyed as well. Paired-end sequencing was done for cDNA libraries of eight other representative C. cardunculus accessions on an Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx, generating 46 × 10⁶ reads. Alignment of the IGA and 454 reads to reference transcripts led to the identification of 195,400 SNPs with a Bayesian probability exceeding 95%; a validation rate of 90% was obtained by Sanger-sequencing of a subset of contigs. These results demonstrate that the integration of data from different NGS platforms enables large-scale transcriptome characterization, along with massive SNP discovery. This information will contribute to the dissection of key agricultural traits in C. cardunculus and facilitate the implementation of marker-assisted selection programs. © 2012 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Acoustic emission based damage localization in composites structures using Bayesian identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundu, A.; Eaton, M. J.; Al-Jumali, S.; Sikdar, S.; Pullin, R.

2017-05-01

Acoustic emission based damage detection in composite structures is based on detection of ultra high frequency packets of acoustic waves emitted from damage sources (such as fibre breakage, fatigue fracture, amongst others) with a network of distributed sensors. This non-destructive monitoring scheme requires solving an inverse problem where the measured signals are linked back to the location of the source. This in turn enables rapid deployment of mitigative measures. The presence of significant amount of uncertainty associated with the operating conditions and measurements makes the problem of damage identification quite challenging. The uncertainties stem from the fact that the measured signals are affected by the irregular geometries, manufacturing imprecision, imperfect boundary conditions, existing damages/structural degradation, amongst others. This work aims to tackle these uncertainties within a framework of automated probabilistic damage detection. The method trains a probabilistic model of the parametrized input and output model of the acoustic emission system with experimental data to give probabilistic descriptors of damage locations. A response surface modelling the acoustic emission as a function of parametrized damage signals collected from sensors would be calibrated with a training dataset using Bayesian inference. This is used to deduce damage locations in the online monitoring phase. During online monitoring, the spatially correlated time data is utilized in conjunction with the calibrated acoustic emissions model to infer the probabilistic description of the acoustic emission source within a hierarchical Bayesian inference framework. The methodology is tested on a composite structure consisting of carbon fibre panel with stiffeners and damage source behaviour has been experimentally simulated using standard H-N sources. The methodology presented in this study would be applicable in the current form to structural damage detection under varying operational loads and would be investigated in future studies.

System identification through nonstationary data using Time-Frequency Blind Source Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yanlin; Kareem, Ahsan

2016-06-01

Classical output-only system identification (SI) methods are based on the assumption of stationarity of the system response. However, measured response of buildings and bridges is usually non-stationary due to strong winds (e.g. typhoon, and thunder storm etc.), earthquakes and time-varying vehicle motions. Accordingly, the response data may have time-varying frequency contents and/or overlapping of modal frequencies due to non-stationary colored excitation. This renders traditional methods problematic for modal separation and identification. To address these challenges, a new SI technique based on Time-Frequency Blind Source Separation (TFBSS) is proposed. By selectively utilizing "effective" information in local regions of the time-frequency plane, where only one mode contributes to energy, the proposed technique can successfully identify mode shapes and recover modal responses from the non-stationary response where the traditional SI methods often encounter difficulties. This technique can also handle response with closely spaced modes which is a well-known challenge for the identification of large-scale structures. Based on the separated modal responses, frequency and damping can be easily identified using SI methods based on a single degree of freedom (SDOF) system. In addition to the exclusive advantage of handling non-stationary data and closely spaced modes, the proposed technique also benefits from the absence of the end effects and low sensitivity to noise in modal separation. The efficacy of the proposed technique is demonstrated using several simulation based studies, and compared to the popular Second-Order Blind Identification (SOBI) scheme. It is also noted that even some non-stationary response data can be analyzed by the stationary method SOBI. This paper also delineates non-stationary cases where SOBI and the proposed scheme perform comparably and highlights cases where the proposed approach is more advantageous. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is evaluated using a full-scale non-stationary response of a tall building during an earthquake and found it to perform satisfactorily.

Managing Risk on the Final Frontier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lengyel, David M.; Newman, J. S.

2009-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) has combined the Continuous Risk Management (CRM) discipline with innovative knowledge management (KM) practices to more effectively enable the accomplishment of work. CRM enables proactive problem identification and problem solving in the complex world of rocket science. while KM is used to improve this process.

Difference-Equation/Flow-Graph Circuit Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcvey, I. M.

1988-01-01

Numerical technique enables rapid, approximate analyses of electronic circuits containing linear and nonlinear elements. Practiced in variety of computer languages on large and small computers; for circuits simple enough, programmable hand calculators used. Although some combinations of circuit elements make numerical solutions diverge, enables quick identification of divergence and correction of circuit models to make solutions converge.

Identification coding schemes for modulated reflectance systems

DOEpatents

Coates, Don M [Santa Fe, NM; Briles, Scott D [Los Alamos, NM; Neagley, Daniel L [Albuquerque, NM; Platts, David [Santa Fe, NM; Clark, David D [Santa Fe, NM

2006-08-22

An identifying coding apparatus employing modulated reflectance technology involving a base station emitting a RF signal, with a tag, located remotely from the base station, and containing at least one antenna and predetermined other passive circuit components, receiving the RF signal and reflecting back to the base station a modulated signal indicative of characteristics related to the tag.

Domain identification in impedance computed tomography by spline collocation method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kojima, Fumio

1990-01-01

A method for estimating an unknown domain in elliptic boundary value problems is considered. The problem is formulated as an inverse problem of integral equations of the second kind. A computational method is developed using a splice collocation scheme. The results can be applied to the inverse problem of impedance computed tomography (ICT) for image reconstruction.

Effects of weighting schemes on the identification of wildlife corridors generated with least-cost methods

Treesearch

Sean A. Parks; Kevin S. McKelvey; Michael K. Schwartz

2012-01-01

The importance of movement corridors for maintaining connectivity within metapopulations of wild animals is a cornerstone of conservation. One common approach for determining corridor locations is least-cost corridor (LCC) modeling, which uses algorithms within a geographic information system to search for routes with the lowest cumulative resistance between target...

Services provided in support of the planetary quarantine requirements of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Favero, M. S.

1972-01-01

The evaluation is discussed of the terminal sterilization process for unmanned lander spacecraft. Results of biochemical test deviations encountered with the identification schemes are tabulated. Studies to examine the possibility of shifts in biochemical reaction patterns during storage and subculture of the environmental Bacillius isolates are also reported.

Feasibility Study of the Development of a Specialized Computer System of Organic Chemical Signatures of Spectral Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scholtz, R. G.; And Others

This final report of a feasibility study describes the research performed in assessing the requirements for a chemical signature file and search scheme for organic compound identification and information retrieval. The research performed to determined feasibility of identifying an unknown compound involved screening the compound against a file of…

Identification of material constants for piezoelectric transformers by three-dimensional, finite-element method and a design-sensitivity method.

PubMed

Joo, Hyun-Woo; Lee, Chang-Hwan; Rho, Jong-Seok; Jung, Hyun-Kyo

2003-08-01

In this paper, an inversion scheme for piezoelectric constants of piezoelectric transformers is proposed. The impedance of piezoelectric transducers is calculated using a three-dimensional finite element method. The validity of this is confirmed experimentally. The effects of material coefficients on piezoelectric transformers are investigated numerically. Six material coefficient variables for piezoelectric transformers were selected, and a design sensitivity method was adopted as an inversion scheme. The validity of the proposed method was confirmed by step-up ratio calculations. The proposed method is applied to the analysis of a sample piezoelectric transformer, and its resonance characteristics are obtained by numerically combined equivalent circuit method.

Efficient multichannel acoustic echo cancellation using constrained tap selection schemes in the subband domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desiraju, Naveen Kumar; Doclo, Simon; Wolff, Tobias

2017-12-01

Acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) is a key speech enhancement technology in speech communication and voice-enabled devices. AEC systems employ adaptive filters to estimate the acoustic echo paths between the loudspeakers and the microphone(s). In applications involving surround sound, the computational complexity of an AEC system may become demanding due to the multiple loudspeaker channels and the necessity of using long filters in reverberant environments. In order to reduce the computational complexity, the approach of partially updating the AEC filters is considered in this paper. In particular, we investigate tap selection schemes which exploit the sparsity present in the loudspeaker channels for partially updating subband AEC filters. The potential for exploiting signal sparsity across three dimensions, namely time, frequency, and channels, is analyzed. A thorough analysis of different state-of-the-art tap selection schemes is performed and insights about their limitations are gained. A novel tap selection scheme is proposed which overcomes these limitations by exploiting signal sparsity while not ignoring any filters for update in the different subbands and channels. Extensive simulation results using both artificial as well as real-world multichannel signals show that the proposed tap selection scheme outperforms state-of-the-art tap selection schemes in terms of echo cancellation performance. In addition, it yields almost identical echo cancellation performance as compared to updating all filter taps at a significantly reduced computational cost.

Precise control of molecular dynamics with a femtosecond frequency comb.

PubMed

Pe'er, Avi; Shapiro, Evgeny A; Stowe, Matthew C; Shapiro, Moshe; Ye, Jun

2007-03-16

We present a general and highly efficient scheme for performing narrow-band Raman transitions between molecular vibrational levels using a coherent train of weak pump-dump pairs of shaped ultrashort pulses. The use of weak pulses permits an analytic description within the framework of coherent control in the perturbative regime, while coherent accumulation of many pulse pairs enables near unity transfer efficiency with a high spectral selectivity, thus forming a powerful combination of pump-dump control schemes and the precision of the frequency comb. Simulations verify the feasibility and robustness of this concept, with the aim to form deeply bound, ultracold molecules.

Internet SCADA Utilizing API's as Data Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robles, Rosslin John; Kim, Haeng-Kon; Kim, Tai-Hoon

An Application programming interface or API is an interface implemented by a software program that enables it to interact with other software. Many companies provide free API services which can be utilized in Control Systems. SCADA is an example of a control system and it is a system that collects data from various sensors at a factory, plant or in other remote locations and then sends this data to a central computer which then manages and controls the data. In this paper, we designed a scheme for Weather Condition in Internet SCADA Environment utilizing data from external API services. The scheme was designed to double check the weather information in SCADA.

Donor acceptor electronic couplings in π-stacks: How many states must be accounted for?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voityuk, Alexander A.

2006-04-01

Two-state model is commonly used to estimate the donor-acceptor electronic coupling Vda for electron transfer. However, in some important cases, e.g. for DNA π-stacks, this scheme fails to provide accurate values of Vda because of multistate effects. The Generalized Mulliken-Hush method enables a multistate treatment of Vda. In this Letter, we analyze the dependence of calculated electronic couplings on the number of the adiabatic states included in the model. We suggest a simple scheme to determine this number. The superexchange correction of the two-state approximation is shown to provide good estimates of the electronic coupling.

Continuous-variable quantum computing in optical time-frequency modes using quantum memories.

PubMed

Humphreys, Peter C; Kolthammer, W Steven; Nunn, Joshua; Barbieri, Marco; Datta, Animesh; Walmsley, Ian A

2014-09-26

We develop a scheme for time-frequency encoded continuous-variable cluster-state quantum computing using quantum memories. In particular, we propose a method to produce, manipulate, and measure two-dimensional cluster states in a single spatial mode by exploiting the intrinsic time-frequency selectivity of Raman quantum memories. Time-frequency encoding enables the scheme to be extremely compact, requiring a number of memories that are a linear function of only the number of different frequencies in which the computational state is encoded, independent of its temporal duration. We therefore show that quantum memories can be a powerful component for scalable photonic quantum information processing architectures.

Constrained Self-adaptive Solutions Procedures for Structure Subject to High Temperature Elastic-plastic Creep Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padovan, J.; Tovichakchaikul, S.

1983-01-01

This paper will develop a new solution strategy which can handle elastic-plastic-creep problems in an inherently stable manner. This is achieved by introducing a new constrained time stepping algorithm which will enable the solution of creep initiated pre/postbuckling behavior where indefinite tangent stiffnesses are encountered. Due to the generality of the scheme, both monotone and cyclic loading histories can be handled. The presentation will give a thorough overview of current solution schemes and their short comings, the development of constrained time stepping algorithms as well as illustrate the results of several numerical experiments which benchmark the new procedure.

20 W continuous-wave cladding-pumped Nd-doped fiber laser at 910 nm.

PubMed

Laroche, M; Cadier, B; Gilles, H; Girard, S; Lablonde, L; Robin, T

2013-08-15

We demonstrate a double-clad fiber laser operating at 910 nm with a record power of 20 W. Laser emission on the three-level scheme is enabled by the combination of a small inner cladding-to-core diameter ratio and a high brightness pump source at 808 nm. A laser conversion efficiency as high as 44% was achieved in CW operating regime by using resonant fiber Bragg reflectors at 910 nm that prevent the lasing at the 1060 nm competing wavelength. Furthermore, in a master oscillator power-amplifier scheme, an amplified power of 14.8 W was achieved at 914 nm in the same fiber.

Integration of quantum key distribution and private classical communication through continuous variable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tianyi; Gong, Feng; Lu, Anjiang; Zhang, Damin; Zhang, Zhengping

2017-12-01

In this paper, we propose a scheme that integrates quantum key distribution and private classical communication via continuous variables. The integrated scheme employs both quadratures of a weak coherent state, with encrypted bits encoded on the signs and Gaussian random numbers encoded on the values of the quadratures. The integration enables quantum and classical data to share the same physical and logical channel. Simulation results based on practical system parameters demonstrate that both classical communication and quantum communication can be implemented over distance of tens of kilometers, thus providing a potential solution for simultaneous transmission of quantum communication and classical communication.

Fossil diatoms and neogene paleolimnology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Platt, Bradbury J.

1988-01-01

Diatoms have played an important role in the development of Neogene continental biostratigraphy and paleolimnology since the mid-19th Century. The history of progress in Quaternary diatom biostratigraphy has developed as a result of improved coring techniques that enable sampling sediments beneath existing lakes coupled with improved chronological control (including radiometric dating and varve enumeration), improved statistical treatment of fossil diatom assemblages (from qualitative description to influx calculations of diatom numbers or volumes), and improved ecological information about analogous living diatom associations. The last factor, diatom ecology, is the most critical in many ways, but progresses slowly. Fortunately, statistical comparison of modern diatom assemblages and insightful studies of the nutrient requirements of some common freshwater species are enabling diatom paleolimnologists to make more detailed interpretations of the Quaternary record than had been possible earlier, and progress in the field of diatom biology and ecology will continue to refine paleolimnological studies. The greater age and geologic setting of Tertiary diatomaceous deposits has prompted their study in the contexts of geologic history, biochronology and evolution. The distribution of diatoms of marine affinities in continental deposits has given geologists insights about tectonism and sea-level change, and the distribution of distinctive (extinct?) diatoms has found utilization both in making stratigraphic correlations between outcrops of diatomaceous deposits and in various types of biochronological studies that involve dating deposits in different areas. A continental diatom biochronologic scheme will rely upon evolution, such as the appearance of new genera within a family, in combination with regional environmental changes that are responsible for the wide distribution of distinctive diatom species. The increased use of the scanning electron microscope for the detailed descriptions of fossil diatoms will provide the basis for making more accurate correlations and identifications, and the micromorphological detail for speculations about evolutionary relationships. ?? 1988.

A statistical kinematic source inversion approach based on the QUESO library for uncertainty quantification and prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielke, Olaf; McDougall, Damon; Mai, Martin; Babuska, Ivo

2014-05-01

Seismic, often augmented with geodetic data, are frequently used to invert for the spatio-temporal evolution of slip along a rupture plane. The resulting images of the slip evolution for a single event, inferred by different research teams, often vary distinctly, depending on the adopted inversion approach and rupture model parameterization. This observation raises the question, which of the provided kinematic source inversion solutions is most reliable and most robust, and — more generally — how accurate are fault parameterization and solution predictions? These issues are not included in "standard" source inversion approaches. Here, we present a statistical inversion approach to constrain kinematic rupture parameters from teleseismic body waves. The approach is based a) on a forward-modeling scheme that computes synthetic (body-)waves for a given kinematic rupture model, and b) on the QUESO (Quantification of Uncertainty for Estimation, Simulation, and Optimization) library that uses MCMC algorithms and Bayes theorem for sample selection. We present Bayesian inversions for rupture parameters in synthetic earthquakes (i.e. for which the exact rupture history is known) in an attempt to identify the cross-over at which further model discretization (spatial and temporal resolution of the parameter space) is no longer attributed to a decreasing misfit. Identification of this cross-over is of importance as it reveals the resolution power of the studied data set (i.e. teleseismic body waves), enabling one to constrain kinematic earthquake rupture histories of real earthquakes at a resolution that is supported by data. In addition, the Bayesian approach allows for mapping complete posterior probability density functions of the desired kinematic source parameters, thus enabling us to rigorously assess the uncertainties in earthquake source inversions.

Fabrication and transfer of flexible few-layers MoS2 thin film transistors to any arbitrary substrate.

PubMed

Salvatore, Giovanni A; Münzenrieder, Niko; Barraud, Clément; Petti, Luisa; Zysset, Christoph; Büthe, Lars; Ensslin, Klaus; Tröster, Gerhard

2013-10-22

Recently, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted interest thanks to their large field effective mobility (>100 cm(2)/V · s), sizable band gap (around 1-2 eV), and mechanical properties, which make them suitable for high performance and flexible electronics. In this paper, we present a process scheme enabling the fabrication and transfer of few-layers MoS2 thin film transistors from a silicon template to any arbitrary organic or inorganic and flexible or rigid substrate or support. The two-dimensional semiconductor is mechanically exfoliated from a bulk crystal on a silicon/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polymethyl methacrylane (PMMA) stack optimized to ensure high contrast for the identification of subnanometer thick flakes. Thin film transistors (TFTs) with structured source/drain and gate electrodes are fabricated following a designed procedure including steps of UV lithography, wet etching, and atomic layer deposited (ALD) dielectric. Successively, after the dissolution of the PVA sacrificial layer in water, the PMMA film, with the devices on top, can be transferred to another substrate of choice. Here, we transferred the devices on a polyimide plastic foil and studied the performance when tensile strain is applied parallel to the TFT channel. We measured an electron field effective mobility of 19 cm(2)/(V s), an I(on)/I(off)ratio greater than 10(6), a gate leakage current as low as 0.3 pA/μm, and a subthreshold swing of about 250 mV/dec. The devices continue to work when bent to a radius of 5 mm and after 10 consecutive bending cycles. The proposed fabrication strategy can be extended to any kind of 2D materials and enable the realization of electronic circuits and optical devices easily transferrable to any other support.

Tegotae-based decentralised control scheme for autonomous gait transition of snake-like robots.

PubMed

Kano, Takeshi; Yoshizawa, Ryo; Ishiguro, Akio

2017-08-04

Snakes change their locomotion patterns in response to the environment. This ability is a motivation for developing snake-like robots with highly adaptive functionality. In this study, a decentralised control scheme of snake-like robots that exhibited autonomous gait transition (i.e. the transition between concertina locomotion in narrow aisles and scaffold-based locomotion on unstructured terrains) was developed. Additionally, the control scheme was validated via simulations. A key insight revealed is that these locomotion patterns were not preprogrammed but emerged by exploiting Tegotae, a concept that describes the extent to which a perceived reaction matches a generated action. Unlike local reflexive mechanisms proposed previously, the Tegotae-based feedback mechanism enabled the robot to 'selectively' exploit environments beneficial for propulsion, and generated reasonable locomotion patterns. It is expected that the results of this study can form the basis to design robots that can work under unpredictable and unstructured environments.

All-optical virtual private network and ONUs communication in optical OFDM-based PON system.

PubMed

Zhang, Chongfu; Huang, Jian; Chen, Chen; Qiu, Kun

2011-11-21

We propose and demonstrate a novel scheme, which enables all-optical virtual private network (VPN) and all-optical optical network units (ONUs) inter-communications in optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing-based passive optical network (OFDM-PON) system using the subcarrier bands allocation for the first time (to our knowledge). We consider the intra-VPN and inter-VPN communications which correspond to two different cases: VPN communication among ONUs in one group and in different groups. The proposed scheme can provide the enhanced security and a more flexible configuration for VPN users compared to the VPN in WDM-PON or TDM-PON systems. The all-optical VPN and inter-ONU communications at 10-Gbit/s with 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16 QAM) for the proposed optical OFDM-PON system are demonstrated. These results verify that the proposed scheme is feasible. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Bi-Directional Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analyzer System for Long Range Distributed Sensing.

PubMed

Guo, Nan; Wang, Liang; Wang, Jie; Jin, Chao; Tam, Hwa-Yaw; Zhang, A Ping; Lu, Chao

2016-12-16

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel scheme of bi-directional Brillouin time domain analyzer (BD-BOTDA) to extend the sensing range. By deploying two pump-probe pairs at two different wavelengths, the Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) distribution over each half of the whole fiber can be obtained with the simultaneous detection of Brillouin signals in both channels. Compared to the conventional unidirectional BOTDA system of the same sensing range, the proposed BD-BOTDA scheme enables distributed sensing with a performance level comparable to the conventional one with half of the sensing range and a spatial resolution of 2 m, while maintaining the Brillouin signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the BFS uncertainty. Based on this technique, we have achieved distributed temperature sensing with a measurement range of 81.9 km fiber at a spatial resolution of 2 m and BFS uncertainty of ~0.44 MHz without introducing any complicated components or schemes.

MEDICINAL CANNABIS LAW REFORM: LESSONS FROM CANADIAN LITIGATION.

PubMed

Freckelton, Ian

2015-06-01

This editorial reviews medicinal cannabis litigation in Canada's superior courts between 1998 and 2015. It reflects upon the outcomes of the decisions and the reasoning within them. It identifies the issues that have driven Canada's jurisprudence in relation to access to medicinal cannabis, particularly insofar as it has engaged patients' rights to liberty and security of the person. It argues that the sequence of medicinal schemes adopted and refined in Canada provides constructive guidance for countries such as Australia which are contemplating introduction of medicinal cannabis as a therapeutic option in compassionate circumstances for patients. In particular, it contends that Canada's experience suggests that strategies calculated to introduce such schemes in a gradualist way, enabling informed involvement by medical practitioners and pharmacists, and that provide for safe and inexpensive accessibility to forms of medicinal cannabis that are clearly distinguished from recreational use and unlikely to be diverted criminally maximise the chances of such schemes being accepted by key stakeholders.

A joint tracking method for NSCC based on WLS algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Ruidan; Xu, Ying; Yuan, Hong

2017-12-01

Navigation signal based on compound carrier (NSCC), has the flexible multi-carrier scheme and various scheme parameters configuration, which enables it to possess significant efficiency of navigation augmentation in terms of spectral efficiency, tracking accuracy, multipath mitigation capability and anti-jamming reduction compared with legacy navigation signals. Meanwhile, the typical scheme characteristics can provide auxiliary information for signal synchronism algorithm design. This paper, based on the characteristics of NSCC, proposed a kind of joint tracking method utilizing Weighted Least Square (WLS) algorithm. In this method, the LS algorithm is employed to jointly estimate each sub-carrier frequency shift with the frequency-Doppler linear relationship, by utilizing the known sub-carrier frequency. Besides, the weighting matrix is set adaptively according to the sub-carrier power to ensure the estimation accuracy. Both the theory analysis and simulation results illustrate that the tracking accuracy and sensitivity of this method outperforms the single-carrier algorithm with lower SNR.

Selecting registration schemes in case of interstitial lung disease follow-up in CT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vlachopoulos, Georgios; Korfiatis, Panayiotis; Skiadopoulos, Spyros

Purpose: Primary goal of this study is to select optimal registration schemes in the framework of interstitial lung disease (ILD) follow-up analysis in CT. Methods: A set of 128 multiresolution schemes composed of multiresolution nonrigid and combinations of rigid and nonrigid registration schemes are evaluated, utilizing ten artificially warped ILD follow-up volumes, originating from ten clinical volumetric CT scans of ILD affected patients, to select candidate optimal schemes. Specifically, all combinations of four transformation models (three rigid: rigid, similarity, affine and one nonrigid: third order B-spline), four cost functions (sum-of-square distances, normalized correlation coefficient, mutual information, and normalized mutual information),more » four gradient descent optimizers (standard, regular step, adaptive stochastic, and finite difference), and two types of pyramids (recursive and Gaussian-smoothing) were considered. The selection process involves two stages. The first stage involves identification of schemes with deformation field singularities, according to the determinant of the Jacobian matrix. In the second stage, evaluation methodology is based on distance between corresponding landmark points in both normal lung parenchyma (NLP) and ILD affected regions. Statistical analysis was performed in order to select near optimal registration schemes per evaluation metric. Performance of the candidate registration schemes was verified on a case sample of ten clinical follow-up CT scans to obtain the selected registration schemes. Results: By considering near optimal schemes common to all ranking lists, 16 out of 128 registration schemes were initially selected. These schemes obtained submillimeter registration accuracies in terms of average distance errors 0.18 ± 0.01 mm for NLP and 0.20 ± 0.01 mm for ILD, in case of artificially generated follow-up data. Registration accuracy in terms of average distance error in clinical follow-up data was in the range of 1.985–2.156 mm and 1.966–2.234 mm, for NLP and ILD affected regions, respectively, excluding schemes with statistically significant lower performance (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, p < 0.05), resulting in 13 finally selected registration schemes. Conclusions: Selected registration schemes in case of ILD CT follow-up analysis indicate the significance of adaptive stochastic gradient descent optimizer, as well as the importance of combined rigid and nonrigid schemes providing high accuracy and time efficiency. The selected optimal deformable registration schemes are equivalent in terms of their accuracy and thus compatible in terms of their clinical outcome.« less

A Trust-Based Adaptive Probability Marking and Storage Traceback Scheme for WSNs

PubMed Central

Liu, Anfeng; Liu, Xiao; Long, Jun

2016-01-01

Security is a pivotal issue for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which are emerging as a promising platform that enables a wide range of military, scientific, industrial and commercial applications. Traceback, a key cyber-forensics technology, can play an important role in tracing and locating a malicious source to guarantee cybersecurity. In this work a trust-based adaptive probability marking and storage (TAPMS) traceback scheme is proposed to enhance security for WSNs. In a TAPMS scheme, the marking probability is adaptively adjusted according to the security requirements of the network and can substantially reduce the number of marking tuples and improve network lifetime. More importantly, a high trust node is selected to store marking tuples, which can avoid the problem of marking information being lost. Experimental results show that the total number of marking tuples can be reduced in a TAPMS scheme, thus improving network lifetime. At the same time, since the marking tuples are stored in high trust nodes, storage reliability can be guaranteed, and the traceback time can be reduced by more than 80%. PMID:27043566

Identification of Terrestrial Reflectance From Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alter-Gartenberg, Rachel; Nolf, Scott R.; Stacy, Kathryn (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Correcting for atmospheric effects is an essential part of surface-reflectance recovery from radiance measurements. Model-based atmospheric correction techniques enable an accurate identification and classification of terrestrial reflectances from multi-spectral imagery. Successful and efficient removal of atmospheric effects from remote-sensing data is a key factor in the success of Earth observation missions. This report assesses the performance, robustness and sensitivity of two atmospheric-correction and reflectance-recovery techniques as part of an end-to-end simulation of hyper-spectral acquisition, identification and classification.

Parametric output-only identification of time-varying structures using a kernel recursive extended least squares TARMA approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Zhi-Sai; Liu, Li; Zhou, Si-Da; Yu, Lei; Naets, Frank; Heylen, Ward; Desmet, Wim

2018-01-01

The problem of parametric output-only identification of time-varying structures in a recursive manner is considered. A kernelized time-dependent autoregressive moving average (TARMA) model is proposed by expanding the time-varying model parameters onto the basis set of kernel functions in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space. An exponentially weighted kernel recursive extended least squares TARMA identification scheme is proposed, and a sliding-window technique is subsequently applied to fix the computational complexity for each consecutive update, allowing the method to operate online in time-varying environments. The proposed sliding-window exponentially weighted kernel recursive extended least squares TARMA method is employed for the identification of a laboratory time-varying structure consisting of a simply supported beam and a moving mass sliding on it. The proposed method is comparatively assessed against an existing recursive pseudo-linear regression TARMA method via Monte Carlo experiments and shown to be capable of accurately tracking the time-varying dynamics. Furthermore, the comparisons demonstrate the superior achievable accuracy, lower computational complexity and enhanced online identification capability of the proposed kernel recursive extended least squares TARMA approach.

A biochemical protocol for the isolation and identification of current species of Vibrio in seafood.

PubMed

Ottaviani, D; Masini, L; Bacchiocchi, S

2003-01-01

We report a biochemical method for the isolation and identification of the current species of vibrios using just one operative protocol. The method involves an enrichment phase with incubation at 30 degrees C for 8-24 h in alkaline peptone water and an isolation phase on thiosulphate-citrate-salt sucrose agar plates incubating at 30 degrees C for 24 h. Four biochemical tests and Alsina's scheme were performed for genus and species identification, respectively. All biochemical tests were optimized as regards conditions of temperature, time of incubation and media composition. The whole standardized protocol was always able to give a correct identification when applied to 25 reference strains of Vibrio and 134 field isolates. The data demonstrated that the assay method allows an efficient recovery, isolation and identification of current species of Vibrio in seafood obtaining results within 2-7 days. This method based on biochemical tests could be applicable even in basic microbiology laboratories, and can be used simultaneously to isolate and discriminate all clinically relevant species of Vibrio.