Human facial emotion recognition using improved black hole based extreme learning machine

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) plays an essential role in human-to-human communication and human-to-machine interaction. Based on the analysis of the facial...     

Accurate and simplified consideration of the probe geometrical defaults in scanning electrochemical microscopy: theoretical and experimental investigations

Fabrication of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) tips cannot always guarantee a perfect disk geometry. In the present work, the impact of these defaults is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The situations where these defaults can accurately be taken into account by considering that the probe behaves like a microdisk with effective geometric parameters are determined. In these situations, the quantitative analysis of the experimental results is greatly simplified. The study also proposes expressions to evaluate the apparent microdisk parameters from a picture of the probe.     

Constitutive modeling of the nonlinearly viscoelastic response of asphalt binders; incorporating three-dimensional effects

A dynamic shear rheometer is again used to characterize the nonlinearly viscoelastic properties of asphalt binders at intermediate or high temperatures. In our previous work, the dynamic shear rheometer test results showed that, under certain conditions, a compressive normal force was generated in an axially constrained specimen subjected to cyclic torque histories. This normal force could not be solely attributed to the Poynting effect and was also related to the tendency of the asphalt binder to dilate when subjected to shear loads. The generated normal force changed the state of stress and interacted with the shear behavior of asphalt binder. This effect was considered to be an “interaction nonlinearity” or “three-dimensional effect.” The concept is explored further in this paper by developing a fundamental approach to modeling the observed behavior. In this approach, the octahedral shear stress is used to represent the three-dimensional stress state in Schapery’s model of nonlinearly viscoelastic behavior. The model was successfully validated for several different loading histories. These results highlight the importance of modeling the mechanical behavior of asphalt binders based on the three-dimensional stress state of the material.     

Performance of Lean in large organisations

The paper focuses upon an in depth investigation to decipher whether larger organisations embracing Lean as a philosophy were indeed more successful. Achievement was measured by the impact an organisation's Lean journey had on its financial and operational efficiency levels.     

Is True Ethane Oxydehydrogenation Feasible?

Oxydehydrogenation of ethane as a route to ethylene has the attractive feature of removing the thermodynamic equilibrium conversion limitation of the simple dehydrogenation. For example, in the dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, the maximum conversion possible at 1000 °C is 51%, while essentially complete (100%) conversion is possible even at ambient conditions. The best catalysts discovered to date are those from Union Carbide's work (in the late 1970s and early 1980s), which operate at 300-400 °C. These reducible Mo–V–Nb oxide catalysts are thought to react via a surface ethoxide intermediate on a Mo or V site that can then undergo a β-elimination process to form ethylene. On the other hand, the surface ethoxide can be oxidized further to form surface acetate, which leads to acetic acid on hydrolysis with water. Aside from these low-temperature reducible catalysts, many catalysts containing reducible metal oxides and non-reducible metals are known to convert ethane to ethylene at 500-800 °C. It is proposed that these catalysts are essentially dehydrogenation catalysts where the H₂ formed from straight dehydrogenation or during a surface intermediate stage after H-abstraction is converted to H₂O, thereby shifting the dehydrogenation equilibrium. Therefore, the big question, the challenge, and the opportunity remains as to whether true oxydehydrogenation is possible at relative low-to-moderate temperatures? This challenge/opportunity will be discussed in the backdrop of some of the recent advances in alkane activation.     

Evolution of ZnS Nanoparticles via Facile CTAB Aqueous Micellar Solution Route: A Study on Controlling Parameters

Synthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles with new photophysical properties is an area of special interest. Here, we report synthesis of ZnS nanoparticles in aqueous micellar solution of Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The size of ZnS nanodispersions in aqueous micellar solution has been calculated using UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, SAXS, and TEM measurements. The nanoparticles are found to be polydispersed in the size range 6–15 nm. Surface passivation by surfactant molecules has been studied using FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy. The nanoparticles have been better stabilized using CTAB concentration above 1 mM. Furthermore, room temperature absorption and fluorescence emission of powdered ZnS nanoparticles after redispersion in water have also been investigated and compared with that in aqueous micellar solution. Time-dependent absorption behavior reveals that the formation of ZnS nanoparticles depends on CTAB concentration and was complete within 25 min.     

Modern anti-Semitism and anti-Israeli attitudes.

Anti-Semitism is resurgent throughout much of the world. A new theoretical model of anti-Semitism is presented and tested in 3 experiments. The model proposes that mortality salience increases anti-Semitism and that anti-Semitism often manifests as hostility toward Israel. Study 1 showed that mortality salience led to greater levels of anti-Semitism and lowered support for Israel. This effect occurred only in a bogus pipeline condition, indicating that social desirability masks hostility toward Jews and Israel. Study 2 showed that mortality salience caused Israel, but no other country, to perceptually loom large. Study 3 showed that mortality salience increased punitiveness toward Israel’s human rights violations more than it increased hostility toward the identical human rights violations committed by Russia or India. Collectively, results suggest that Jews constitute a unique cultural threat to many people’s worldviews, that anti-Semitism causes hostility to Israel, and that hostility to Israel may feed back to increase anti-Semitism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma--disease spectrum and management: a 15-year review from north India

The anthropometric measurements of face were taken in 21 infants of 6-9 months (15 boys, 6 girls) with bilateral cleft lip, alveolus and palate, prior to surgery. The control group consisted of 30 normal infants, without facial defects. In each child 9 measurements were performed. The comparative analysis revealed an underdevelopment of maxilla and mandible and an increase in nasal width in children with bilateral cleft lip and palate.     

Hybrid high temperature superconductor/GaAs 10 GHz microwaveoscillator: temperature and bias effects

Hybrid YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x superconductor/GaAs microwave oscillators have been designed, fabricated and characterized. The planar oscillators were built on a single 10 mm×10 mm LaAlO₃ substrate. The active elements in the hybrid oscillators were GaAs MESFETs. A ring resonator was used to select and stabilize the frequency. A superconducting ring resonator had a loaded Q at 77 Kg which was 8 times larger than the loaded Q of a ring resonator fabricated out of copper. S-parameters of the GaAs FET were measured at cryogenic temperatures and used to design the oscillator which had a reflection mode configuration. The transmission lines, RF chokes and bias lines were all fabricated from YBa₂Cu₃ O_7-x superconducting thin films. The performance of the oscillators was measured as a function of temperature. The rate of change of the frequency as a function of temperature was smaller for an oscillator patterned from a pulsed laser deposited film than for an oscillator patterned from a sputtered film. As a function of bias at 77 K, the best circuit had an output power of 11.5 dBm and a maximum efficiency of 11.7% The power of the second harmonic was 25 dB to 35 dB below that of the fundamental, for every circuit. At 77 K, the best phase noise of the superconducting oscillators was 68 dBc/Hz at an offset frequency of 10 kHz and less than -93 dBc/Hz at an offset frequency of 100 kHz. At an offset frequency of 10 kHz, the superconducting oscillator had 12 dB less phase noise than the copper oscillator at 77 K