Real-time 2D to 3D video conversion

We present a real-time implementation of 2D to 3D video conversion using compressed video. In our method, compressed 2D video is analyzed by extracting motion vectors. Using the motion vector maps, depth maps are built for each frame and the frames are segmented to provide object-wise depth ordering. These data are then used to synthesize stereo pairs. 3D video synthesized in this fashion can be viewed using any stereoscopic display. In our implementation, anaglyph projection was selected as the 3D visualization method, because it is mostly suited to standard displays.

Sex pheromone of the European grapevine moth,Lobesia botrana Schiff. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): Synthesis and effect of isomeric purity on biological activity

A short synthesis of (E, Z)-7,9-dodecadien-1-yl acetate from propargyl alcohol and 6-bromohexanol via acetylenic-allenic isomerization of the resulting bis-THP-1,9-non-2-yn-diol is described. The field test of several preparations showed that theE,E isomer does not interfere with the biological activity of the pheromone. It was found that the crude preparation has higher activity than purified pheromone or virgin females.     

Chemical protection of pheromones containing an internal conjugated diene system from isomerization and oxidation

Conjugated diene systems are common in natural products, including pheromones. The systems are sensitive to heat, light, and oxygen, among other things. They can be protected by antioxidants and UV absorbers, which slow downcis-trans isomerization and oxidation. Three sex pheromones (one as an analog) containingZ,E, E,Z, andE,E units were studied: (Z,E)-9,11-C₁₄OAc, (E,Z)-7,9-C₁₂OAc, and (E,E)-10,12-C₁₆OAc. The UV absorber 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and the antioxidants BHT and BHA were found to be effective in solution. The protective effect of the UV absorber against photoisomerization on paper carriers was not as good as that in solution. Preliminary studies on the utilization of formulations containing these compounds and (Z,E)-9,11-C₁₄OAc in the mass trapping of Egyptian cotton leafworm male in cotton fields showed the new combinations to be as good as a previously used formulation with UOP 688, a compound which is unpleasant to handle.     

Study of the radical mechanism of iodine-catalyzed isomerization of conjugated diene systems

The iodine-catalyzed Z/E-isomerization of internal conjugated dienes in the dark, to form a thermodynamic equilibrium mixture, was found to be a radical process with an activation energy of 12.4±1.2 kcal/ mol. The effects of antioxidants on the reaction, both in the dark and in sunlight, were studied. In both processes the radical isomerization was slowed down, probably through radical scavenging.     

Real-time stabilization of long range observation system turbulent video

The paper presents a real-time algorithm that compensates image distortions due to atmospheric turbulence in video sequences, while keeping the real moving objects in the video unharmed. The algorithm involves (1) generation of a “reference” frame, (2) estimation, for each incoming video frame, of a local image displacement map with respect to the reference frame, (3) segmentation of the displacement map into two classes: stationary and moving objects; (4) turbulence compensation of stationary objects. Experiments with both simulated and real-life sequences have shown that the restored videos, generated in real-time using standard computer hardware, exhibit excellent stability for stationary objects while retaining real motion.

Sex pheromone of European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) its chemical transformations in sunlight and heat

Photo- and radical isomerization of (E, Z)-7,9-dodecadien-1-yl acetate (DDA) leads to an equilibrium mixture of all four possible geometric isomers of 7,9-DDA in the ratio ofE,E, 69–76%;Z,E, 11–13%;E, Z, 12–15%; andZ, Z, 1–3%. Iodine catalysis of the isomerization takes place even in dark at room temperature and is probably a radical reaction.