Image reconstruction using interval simulated annealing in electrical impedance tomography

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an imaging technique that attempts to reconstruct the impedance distribution inside an object from the impedance between electrodes placed on the object surface. The EIT reconstruction problem can be approached as a nonlinear nonconvex optimization problem in which one tries to maximize the matching between a simulated impedance problem and the observed data. This nonlinear optimization problem is often ill-posed, and not very suited to methods that evaluate derivatives of the objective function. It may be approached by simulated annealing (SA), but at a large computational cost due to the expensive evaluation process of the objective function, which involves a full simulation of the impedance problem at each iteration. A variation of SA is proposed in which the objective function is evaluated only partially, while ensuring boundaries on the behavior of the modified algorithm.     

RERBEE: robust efficient registration via bifurcations and elongated elements applied to retinal fluorescein angiogram sequences

We present RERBEE (robust efficient registration via bifurcations and elongated elements), a novel feature-based registration algorithm able to correct local deformations in high-resolution ultra-wide field-of-view (UWFV) fluorescein angiogram (FA) sequences of the retina. The algorithm is able to cope with peripheral blurring, severe occlusions, presence of retinal pathologies and the change of image content due to the perfusion of the fluorescein dye in time. We have used the computational power of a graphics processor to increase the performance of the most computationally expensive parts of the algorithm by a factor of over × 1300, enabling the algorithm to register a pair of 3900 × 3072 UWFV FA images in 5-10 min instead of the 5-7 h required using only the CPU. We demonstrate accurate results on real data with 267 image pairs from a total of 277 (96.4%) graded as correctly registered by a clinician and 10 (3.6%) graded as correctly registered with minor errors but usable for clinical purposes. Quantitative comparison with state-of-the-art intensity-based and feature-based registration methods using synthetic data is also reported. We also show some potential usage of a correctly aligned sequence for vein/artery discrimination and automatic lesion detection.     

Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies and Applications

The current need to fasten the implementation of renewable energies greatly depends on the development of competitive storage devices, and while there is not a single technology which is likely capable to competitively cover the wide range of possible demands, electrochemical technologies are one of the most promising for many of them. For the realization of this promise, new materials fulfilling criteria such as high energy density, high power density, competitive cost, reliability, and environmental compatibility need to be developed in the near future. Electrochemical energy storage devices can be classified into two main technologies： supercapacitors and batteries （including redox flow batteries）. Materials and applications for these technologies are discussed and compared, listing current status, technical and strategic challenges.     

Dead Zones in LX‐17 and PBX 9502

Pin and X‐ray corner turning data have been taken on ambient LX‐17 and PBX 9052, and the results are listed in tables as an aid to future modeling. The results have been modeled at 4 zones/mm with a reactive flow approach that varies the burn rate as a function of pressure. A single rate format is used to simulate failure and detonation in different pressure regimes. A pressure cut‐off must also be reached to initiate the burn. Corner turning and failure are modeled using an intermediate pressure rate region, and detonation occurs at high pressure. The TATB booster is also modeled using reactive flow, and X‐ray tomography is used to partition the ram‐pressed hemisphere into five different density regions. The model reasonably fits the bare corner turning experiment but predicts a smaller dead zone with steel confinement, in contradiction with experiment. The same model also calculates the confined and unconfined cylinder detonation velocities and predicts the failure of the unconfined cylinder at 3.75 mm radius. The PBX 9502 shows a smaller dead zone than LX‐17. An old experiment that showed a large apparent dead zone in Composition B was repeated with X‐ray transmission and no dead zone was seen. This confirms the idea that a variable burn rate is the key to modeling. The model also produces initiation delays, which are shorter than those found in time‐to‐detonation.     

Hydrophilic CNC‐Pincer Palladium Complexes: A Source for Highly Efficient,Recyclable Homogeneous Catalysts in Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling

The Suzuki biaryl coupling of a range of electronically dissimilar arylboronic acids and aryl bromides is performed in neat water with excellent to quantitative yields by means of a new CNC‐pincer palladium catalyst that is soluble in water due to its para‐carboxy group. Extremely high turnover numbers and frequencies combined with a remarkable robustness allow an effective catalyst reuse in sustainable conditions.     

Distribution and mobility of arsenic in the Río Dulce alluvial aquifers in Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina

Factors controlling arsenic (As) mobilization in the aquifers of the Río Dulce alluvial cone were investigated. Groundwater analyses show severe As contamination (average concentration of 743 mug/L) from geogenic sources, but spatial variability of As concentration is considerable. Sequential leaching of sediment samples from unsaturated zone using de-ionised water, bicarbonate, acetate, and oxalate extracted As to different extents. Sediment oxalate extraction showed that Al and Mn oxide and hydroxides are more abundant than Fe oxides and hydroxides, in spite of similar total Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations in the sediment. Speciation calculations performed for saturated zone samples indicated that Fe and Al oxides and hydroxides are stable in groundwater, suggesting that As adsorption processes may be to some extent controlled by the presence of Fe and Al mineral phases. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that As is related to F, V, Mo, B, Si, most likely due to their common origin in volcanic ash. This suggests the volcanic ash as the probable source of groundwater As. Locally, elevated pH values linked to carbonate dissolution, cation exchange, and dissolution of silicates promote release of adsorbed As. Another factor contributing to the release of As locally may be the input of organic matter from excessive irrigation. The conceptual model of As release includes: i) As influx from dissolution of volcanic glass in volcanic ash, ii) adsorption of As on the surface of Fe and Al mineral phases in relatively low pH zones, and iii) high mobility of As in high pH zones. Future work should be focused on the determination of mineralogical forms of As in volcanic ash and on detailed investigation on factors controlling As mobility.     

Spanish Melon Landraces: Revealing Useful Diversity by Genomic,Morphological, and Metabolomic Analysis

Spain is a secondary centre of the diversification of the melon (Cucumis melo L.), with high diversity represented in highly appreciated landraces belonging to the Flexuosus and Ibericus groups. A collection of 47 accessions of Flexuosus, Chate, Piel de Sapo, Tendral, Amarillo, Blanco, and Rochet was analysed using a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach. A total of 66,971 quality SNPs were identified. Genetic analysis differentiated Ibericus accessions and exotic materials (Ameri, Momordica, Kachri, and Agrestis), while Flexuous accessions shared ancestry between them. Within the Ibericus group, no clear genomic distinction could be identified for the different landraces evaluated, with accessions of different landraces showing high genetic similarity. The morphological characterization confirmed that the external colour and fruit shape had been used as recognition patterns for Spanish melon landraces, but variability within a landrace exists. Differences were found in the sugars and acid and volatile profiles of the materials. Flexuosus and Chate melons at the immature commercial stage accumulated malic acid and low levels of hexoses, while Ibericus melons accumulated high contents of sucrose and citric acid. Specific trends could be identified in the Ibericus landraces. Tendral accumulated low levels of sugars and citric acid and high of malic acid, maintaining higher firmness, Rochet reached higher levels of sugars, and Amarillo tended to lower malic acid contents. Interestingly, high variability was found within landraces for the acidic profile, offering possibilities to alter taste tinges. The main volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Flexuosus and Chate were aldehydes and alcohols, with clear differences between both groups. In the Ibericus landraces, general trends for VOC accumulation could be identified, but, again, a high level of variation exists. This situation highlights the necessity to develop depuration programs to promote on-farm in situ conservation and, at the same time, offers opportunities to establish new breeding program targets and to take advantage of these sources of variation.     

Effects of the Treatment with Flavonoids on Metabolic Syndrome Components in Humans: A Systematic Review Focusing on Mechanisms of Action

Diets high in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, have been used to mitigate metabolic syndrome (MetS). Polyphenols are a large group of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, classified into two main classes: non-flavonoids and flavonoids. Flavonoids are distributed in foods, such as fruits, vegetables, tea, red wine, and cocoa. Studies have already demonstrated the benefits of flavonoids on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as cancer cells. The present review summarizes the results of clinical studies that evaluated the effects of flavonoids on the components of the MetS and associated complications when offered as supplements over the long term. The results show that flavonoids can significantly modulate several metabolic parameters, such as lipid profile, blood pressure, and blood glucose. Only theaflavin and catechin were unable to affect metabolic parameters. Moreover, only body weight and body mass index were unaltered. Thus, the evidence presented in this systematic review offers bases in support of a flavonoid supplementation, held for at least 3 weeks, as a strategy to improve several metabolic parameters and, consequently, reduce the risk of diseases associated with MetS. This fact becomes stronger due to the rare side effects reported with flavonoids.     

A similarity study of I/O traces via string kernels

The Journal of Supercomputing - Understanding I/O for data-intense applications is the foundation for the optimization of these applications. The classification of the applications according to the...