Two bit correlation-an adaptive time delay estimation

Time delay estimation is a very important operation in ultrasound time-domain flow mapping and correction of phase aberration of an array transducer. As the interest increases in the application of one and a half-dimensional (1.5-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) array transducers to improving image quality and three-dimensional (3-D) imaging, the need of simple, fast, and sufficiently accurate algorithms for real-time time delay estimation becomes exceedingly crucial. In this paper, we present an adaptive time-delay estimation algorithm which minimizes the problem of noise sensitivity associated with the one bit correlation while retaining simplicity in implementation. This algorithm converts each sample datum into a two bit representation including the sign of the sample and an adaptively selected threshold. A bit pattern correlation operation is applied to find the time delay between two engaged signals. By using the criterion of misregistration as an indicator, we are able to show that the proposed algorithm is better than one bit correlation in susceptibility to noise level. Analytical results show that the improvement in reducing misregistration of the two bit correlation over its counterpart is consistent over a wide range of noise level. This is achieved by an adaptive adjustment of the threshold to accommodate signal corruption due to noise. The analytical results are corroborated by results from simulating the blood as a random distribution of red blood cells. Finally, we also present a memory-based architecture to implement the two bit correlation algorithm whose computation time does not depend upon the time delay of the signals to be correlated     

A bench-scale study on biodegradation and volatilization of ethylbenzoate in aquifers

Experiments were conducted to investigate the fate of ethylbenzoate and soil microorganisms in shallow aquifers. Biodegradation and volatilization have been identified as the major mechanisms in attenuating ethylbenzoate in contaminated soils. The rate of volatilization was experimentally found to be limited by gas-phase diffusion. The parameters of an available model, i.e., the maximum specific growth rate and the saturation constant, have been estimated by fitting the model to the experimental data obtained with ethylbenzoate as the carbon source; the former was 0.49 h⁻¹, and the latter was 62 mg L⁻¹. Various facets of biodegradation, including the effects of mass-transfer resistance and initial distribution of microorganisms, have been numerically analyzed on the basis of the model.     

Long-term static testing of an FRP prototype highway structure

In recent years it has become apparent that the labour and maintenance costs of highway structures fabricated from conventional constructional materials (i.e. steel and concrete) are rising, and therefore the whole life cost of these structures is being significantly affected. Highway structures manufactured from advanced composite materials provide a viable solution to reduce substantially both the labour and the maintenance costs, whilst providing structures that behave in accordance with the present British code of practice for highway structures.

The principle objectives of the investigations were to undertake experimentally and to verify, where applicable, numerically the suitability of advanced fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials manufactured in the form of box beams for use as highway structures. It was also important to research into any unique behaviour exhibited by the FRP structures while under test and to develop relevant theoretical models and formulae to characterize completely this behaviour.

The composite box beam showed no signs of global deterioration and generally behaved as predicted; the short term stiffness of the beam measured at specific times during the test did not decrease to any extent. There was some local flexural cracking in the connectors at the position of the applied loads, but this can be eliminated by design. The creep and deflections of the beam at the end of the test were well within acceptable limits.     

Amifostine (WR-2721) shortens the engraftment period of 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide-purged bone marrow in breast cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow support

4-Hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC), a commonly used marrow-purging agent, is active against many tumors, but is also toxic to normal marrow progenitors. Amifostine (WR-2721) is a sulfhydryl compound with chemoprotectant activity. Preclinical studies using suspensions of bone marrow and breast cancer cells demonstrated that ex vivo treatment with amifostine followed by 4-HC resulted in protection of marrow progenitors, with no compromise in the antitumor effect of 4-HC. This fact stimulated the development of a clinical trial. Bone marrow was harvested from 15 poor-prognosis breast cancer patients and randomly assigned to ex vivo treatment with amifostine followed by 4-HC (amifostine + 4-HC), or treatment with 4-HC alone. High-dose chemotherapy was then administered followed by infusion of the purged autologous bone marrow support (ABMS). Leukocyte engraftment, defined as a white blood cell count > or = 1 x 10(9)/L, was achieved in an average of 26 days for patients whose marrow was purged with amifostine + 4-HC versus 36 days for patients whose marrow was purged with 4-HC alone (P = .032). The average number of platelet transfusions (12 v 29; P = .017) and days of antibiotic therapy (28 v 40; P = .012) were significantly less for patients whose marrow was exposed to amifostine + 4-HC, compared with 4-HC alone. Unpurged backup marrow fractions were infused into three patients whose marrow was purged with 4-HC alone, because of inadequate marrow recovery. None of the patients who received amifostine + 4-HC-purged marrow required a backup marrow fraction. Complete remissions were achieved in 83% of patients with measurable disease, with no difference between the two cohorts. Forty-three percent of patients remained alive and progression-free at a mean of 13 months posttransplant. There was no significant difference in the rate or pattern of relapse for patients whose marrow was purged with amifostine + 4-HC compared with those whose marrow was purged with 4-HC alone. Ex vivo treatment of marrow with amifostine significantly shortens the time to marrow recovery, thereby reducing the risk of myelosuppressive complications in breast cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy and 4-HC-purged ABMS. Since supportive care requirements are also significantly decreased, amifostine may reduce the cost of such therapy.     

步进式加热炉炉温优化设定模型及软件开发

针对线材厂步进式加热炉实际工况，提出了基于经验规则的炉温优化设定模型和在线自学习获取知识的思想，并以炉温优化设定模型为核心，开发出加热炉计算机控制系统的优化运行软件。     

Robot Pose Estimation in Unknown Environments by Matching 2D Range Scans

A mobile robot exploring an unknown environment has no absolute frame of reference for its position, other than features it detects through its sensors. Using distinguishable landmarks is one possible approach, but it requires solving the object recognition problem. In particular, when the robot uses two-dimensional laser range scans for localization, it is difficult to accurately detect and localize landmarks in the environment (such as corners and occlusions) from the range scans.In this paper, we develop two new iterative algorithms to register a range scan to a previous scan so as to compute relative robot positions in an unknown environment, that avoid the above problems. The first algorithm is based on matching data points with tangent directions in two scans and minimizing a distance function in order to solve the displacement between the scans. The second algorithm establishes correspondences between points in the two scans and then solves the point-to-point least-squares problem to compute the relative pose of the two scans. Our methods work in curved environments and can handle partial occlusions by rejecting outliers.     

二元光栅照明研究

采用部分相干成象理论对二元光机照明进行了较为详细的研究。分析了二元光栅照明对分辨力，焦，照明能量和照明均匀性的影响，并通过实验研究验证了二元光栅对分辨力和焦深有较大程度的提高，同时能量损失不大。     

MODELING the VIBRATIONAL RESPONSE of PLANTAIN FRUITS

Plantain fruits of the plantain subgroup ( Musa AAB Group) were obtained at a green stage and used in this study. the fruits were labelled for identification, and stored in a chamber maintained at a temperature of 20C and relative humidity of 90 ± 4%. On daily basis, for a period of 14 days, the fruits were removed from the storage chamber and each was weighed to record the mass. They were vibrated vertically on a vibration exciter through a range of frequencies from 10 to 2000 Hz. the frequency response was modeled by a single-degree-of-freedom Kelvin model. the mass of the fruit, the stiffness, the natural frequency and the critical damping all decreased significantly (p < 0.01) with storage time. There was no significant change (p > 0.05) in the damping coefficient of the fruit. the damping ratio decreased significantly (p < 0.01) with storage time. the models that described the changes in these parameters with storage time were obtained by stepwise regression, and are also presented. It was concluded that a single degree-of-freedom model provides satisfactory results of the vibrational characteristics of intact plantain fruit.     

Apparent diffusion coefficient determination of sodium hydroxide through potato skin and flesh under different temperatures and concentration conditions

The aims of the present study were to analyze the most important chemical reactions between sodium hydroxide and potato constituents involved in potato chemical peeling, and to measure the apparent diffusivity of NaOH in potato skin and flesh separately, as a function of temperature and NaOH concentration, selected according to potato chemical peeling process. Chemical reaction of the suberin of the potato skin with NaOH was proposed as the most important one to promote chemical peeling. Whereas starch hydrolysis, middle lamella dissolution and cell wall disruptions were proposed as the principal chemical reactions in flesh. Experiments to determine NaOH apparent dijfusivities in skin and flesh were performed following a cell diffusion method at 25, 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C temperatures and concentrations of 4, 12 and 20 g NaOH/100 g of solution. Finally, correlation equations were determined to describe apparent diffusivity dependence on temperature and concentration.