A Wavelet Perspective on Variational Perceptually-Inspired Color Enhancement

The issue of perceptually-inspired correction of color and contrast in digital images has been recently analyzed with the help of variational principles. These techniques allowed building a general framework in which the action of many already existing algorithms can be more easily understood and compared in terms of intensification of local contrast and control of dispersion around the average intensity value. In this paper we analyze this issue from the dual perspective of wavelet theory, showing that it is possible to build energy functionals of wavelet coefficients that lead to a multilevel perceptually-inspired color correction. By computing the Euler–Lagrange equations associated to the wavelet-based functionals we were able to find an analytical formula for the modification of wavelet detail coefficients that overcomes the problem of an ad-hoc selection based on empirical considerations. Besides these theoretical results, the wavelet perspective provides the computational advantage of generating much faster algorithms in comparison with the spatial variational framework.     

Adaptive memory in multi-model switching control of uncertain plants

This paper describes some recent results in multi-model switching control. The scheme here considered embeds a finite family of pre-designed controllers and a high-level unit which selects, at each instant of time, the candidate controller to be placed in feedback to the uncertain plant. The study considers a switching strategy where controller selection is based on windowed cost functions. The key feature of the proposed strategy is that the window (the memory) is not kept constant, but, on the contrary, is adjusted on-line, on the grounds of measured data. The potential benefits of using an adaptive memory switching strategy are discussed and illustrated through a benchmark example.     

Improving performance of iterative solvers with the AXC format using the Intel Xeon Phi

The Journal of Supercomputing - This work is focused on the application of the new AXC format in iterative algorithms on the Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor to solve linear systems by accelerating the...     

An outbreak of foodborne illness caused by Escherichia coli O39:NM, an agent not fitting into the existing scheme for classifying diarrheogenic E. coli

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness with clinical and epidemiologic features of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) occurred among patrons of a restaurant during April 1991. Illnesses among several groups of patrons were characterized by diarrhea (100%) and cramps (79%-88%) lasting a median of 3-5 days. Median incubation periods ranged from 50 to 56 h. A nonmotile strain of E. coli (E. coli O39), which was negative for heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (STa, STb) ETEC toxins, was isolated only from ill patrons. This organism produced enteroaggregative E. coli heat-stable enterotoxin 1 and contained the enteropathogenic E. coli gene locus for enterocyte effacement; it did not display mannose-resistant adherence, but produced attaching and effacing lesions in the absence of mannose on cultured HEp-2 cells. E. coli that are not part of highly characterized but narrowly defined groups may be important causes of foodborne illness.     

Vegetable composts for sea water uranium extraction

Composting wood or crop residues by the addition of tanneries sludge as nitrogen supplement yields products having lower polysaccharides and protein content, but higher relative concentration of lignin material than the starting mixture. When used as sea water uranium adsorbents, the compost products exhibit higher uranium uptake (3.0–100 μg g^?1) than parent ligno-cellulosic materials (0.3–9 μg g^?1), thus achieving over 10⁴-fold uranium concentration relative to sea water. An additional distinguishing feature is the strong pH effect observed on uptake by products. The results are consistent with the expected change of parent lignin to lignin-humus in the compost product.     

Structure and molecular weight of catenapoly [diphenoxy-λ5-phosphazene-co-bis(sulfophenoxy)-λ5-phosphazene] obtained from catenapoly (diphenoxy-λ5-phosphazene) in very strong acid medium

Acid polymers, ?[N=P(OC₆H₅)_2?x (OC₆H₄SO₃H) _x ] _n (II), having an entirely inorganic chain of fifth-group elements, with acid equivalent values between 2.90 and 5.19 mEq/g and molecular weights (M _w) of 10⁵?10⁶ (205≤n≤3582), have been obtained from ?[N=P(OC₆H₅)₂]? _n (I), 4325≤n ≤ 20,300, in very strong acid medium (SO₃/?P=N ?=1.15?3.10 mol/mol). Sulfonation of the pendant substituents occurs first in the meta position and successively at the para carbons, presumably due to reduced conformational mobility as the degree of substitution (x) in II increases.     

Dealing with different time granularities in formal specifications of real-time systems

The article presents a formalization of the notion of time granularity within a logical language for specifying real-time systems. It provides the specifier with the ability of dealing with different time granularities within a single specification. That is, it allows the specifier to describe the behavior and the properties of a system and its environment with respect to different time scales and to switch among them in a suitable way. The extended logical formalism is then embedded in an object oriented structure that enhances both the expressive power and the executability of the specification language. With regard to expressiveness, it enables one to subdivide a single specification of the system and its environment into different part and to provide a number of specifications of them at different levels of abstraction, each one referring to a different time granularity. With regard to executability, it allows one to verify the consistency and the adequacy of specifications at each step of their incremental development. It also suggests an enlargement of the notions of verification and validation that takes into account the stratified structure of the object oriented specifications.     

The role of chemistry in the research on advanced materials in Italy (I). The ZIC paradigm

This paper reviews the main achievements of the Targeted Project Special Materials for Advanced Technology (TP SMAT [1989–1993]).It describes the analysis of funding provided by TP SMAT and the most important results of TP SMAT with reference to both scientific publications issued (together with the relative impact factor) and technology demonstrators produced. Human skills developed and new facilities are also taken into account.It also analyzes a new way of managing Targeted Project based upon cross-functional process, where timing and mode of development are merged in a single goal: an innovative electrical car (Zero Impact Car—ZIC). In this process the various topics were combined, with typical concurrent engineering tools, in a complete harmonious way in order to produce a demonstrator of new materials, technologies and integrated design (i.e. design of both structures and microstructures-materials). This new managing model is the so called: ZIC paradigm.Chairman of the CNR National Committee of Experts for Chemical SciencesChairman of the Commission for the feasibility study of the Targeted Project on Special Materials for Advanced Technology IIDirector of the Targeted Project on Special Materials for Advanced Technology IManagement staff for the Targeted Project on Special Materials for Advanced Technology I     

Multi-model unfalsified adaptive switching supervisory control

The paper studies how on-line inferring stability of a potential control-loop consisting of an uncertain plant interconnected in feedback with a candidate controller using plant I/O pairs recorded while the plant is possibly driven by a different controller. In such a context, a convenient tool to work with is to resort to the conceptual entity of a virtual reference (VR). The adopted approach consists of embedding, in the so-called unfalsified adaptive switching control schemes based on VR, a family of nominal models pairwise associated with the given candidate controllers. The result is that the supervised switching mechanism can moderate the chance that destabilizing controllers be switched-on and, hence, reduce both the magnitude and time durations of “learning” transients after start-up, while, in contrast with pre-existing multi-model based methods, stability in-the-large is guaranteed under the minimal conceivable assumption that a stabilizing candidate controller exist.