Quantifying relationship between relative position error of localization algorithms and object identification

Positioning of things, devices and people is the fundamental technology in ubiquitous computing. However, few literature has discussed the impact of positioning errors due to localization algorithm properties such as ranging noise and deployment of anchors on people’s identification of objects. Since several factors such as relative distance, relative angles and grouping of objects are intricately related with each other in such identification, it is not an easy task to investigate its characteristics. In this paper, we propose criteria to assess the “accuracy” of the estimated positions in identifying the objects. The criteria are helpful to design, develop and evaluate localization algorithms that are used to tell people the location of objects. Augmented reality is a typical example that needs such localization algorithms. To model the criteria without ambiguity, we prove that the Delaunay triangulation well-captures natural human behavior of finding similarity between estimated and true positions. We have examined different localization algorithms to observe how the proposed model quantifies the properties of those algorithms. Subjective testing has also been conducted using questionnaires to justify our quantification sufficiently renders human intuition.     

Supermagnetron plasma CVD of highly effective a-CNx:H electron-transport and hole-blocking films suited to Au/a-CNx:H/p-Si photovoltaic cells

Hydrogenated carbon nitride (a-CN_x:H) films (0-500 nm) were deposited on p-Si wafers to make Au/a-CN_x:H/p-Si photovoltaic cells using i-C₄H₁₀/N₂ supermagnetron plasma chemical vapor deposition. At a lower electrode RF power (LORF) of 50 W and an upper electrode RF power (UPRF) of 50-800 W, hard a-CN_x:H films with optical band gaps of 0.7-1.0 eV were formed. At a film thickness of 25 nm (UPRF of 500 W), the open circuit voltage and short circuit current density were 247 mV and 2.62 mA/cm², respectively. The highest energy conversion efficiency was 0.29%. The appearance of the photovoltaic phenomenon was found to be due to the electron-transport and hole-blocking effect of thin a-CN_x:H film.     

Construction of highly extensive polymorphic DNA libraries by in-gel competitive reassociation procedure

X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is usually considered a disorder of B cell development; however, the gene that is defective in XLA encodes a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase called Btk, that is expressed throughout myeloid as well as B cell differentiation. A review of medical records of patients in whom mutations in Btk had been identified indicated that 13 of 50 patients (26%) had experienced episodes of profound neutropenia. In 12 of the 13 patients, neutropenia was part of the acute illness that precipitated an evaluation for immunodeficiency. These boys were more likely to be less than a year of age at the time of diagnosis and they were less likely to have a family history of immunodeficiency. Neutropenia was associated with staphylococcal or pseudomonas sepsis in 6 of the patients. The duration of neutropenia was variable but was often more than 1 week. Neutropenia was not seen in any patient with XLA receiving intravenous gammaglobulin. Although neutropenia was not associated with any specific mutation in Btk, most of the alterations in this gene in the patients with XLA and neutropenia resulted in the absence of Btk protein or in amino acid substitutions in sites thought to be critical to Btk function. Btk may not be required for neutrophil production under normal circumstances; however, it may play a role in the response to stress.     

Effect of extradural analgesia on the paradoxical arousal response of the electroencephalogram

Nineteen patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy underwent segmental spinal instrumentation and posterior fusion between 1989 and 1994. The indication for surgery was loss of the ability to walk and development of scoliosis with sitting discomfort. Preoperative assessment included evaluation of pulmonary function. Average age at operation was 12.5 years. Instrumentation and fusion extended from upper thoracic levels to L-5 or the sacrum. A Hartshill rectangle was used in all cases, with banked allograft bone. Severe intraoperative blood loss was avoided by use of hypotensive anaesthesia. Peroperatively, systolic blood pressure was maintained between 75 and 85 mm Hg. Average blood loss was 1,246 ml (range, 400-3,100) or 30% of estimated total blood volume. Average transfusion requirements were 3 units of packed cells. Postoperative analgesia was provided by infusion via an epidural catheter. There were no postoperative wound or chest infections. Three patients required catheterisation for urinary retention. Postoperatively patients were fitted with a Neofract jacket to allow early mobilisation and discharge. Mean postoperative length of stay was 16 days. Posterior spinal fusion by using the Hartshill rectangle provided good correction and fixation. Hypotensive anaesthesia permitted surgery to be performed rapidly in a relatively dry field and avoided the complications of severe intraoperative blood loss and massive transfusion.     

A translocation t(8;14) and c-myc gene rearrangement associated with the histological transformation of B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (FAB-L2) into Burkitt''s type (FAB-L3) leukemia

During the late rainy season and winter season in 1990, outbreaks of suspected trypanosomiasis in native cattle (Bos indicus) occurred on 13 farms in Petchaboon province, Thailand. Forty-two cattle presented with nervous symptoms including circling, excitation, jumping, aggressive behavior, lateral recumbency, convulsion and finally death. Blood samples from 39 cattle on the two farms in which the outbreaks occurred were collected and examined for the presence of Trypanosoma evansi. It was found that all 16 blood samples from cattle on farm A were positive of T. evansi by mouse inoculation and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). In cattle from farm B, on the other hand only 37.5% and 39% of the samples were positive by mouse inoculation and IFAT, respectively. T. evansi was detected on impression smears of organs from the three cattle which died with nervous symptoms and also in smears made from their cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, trypanosomes were isolated from the cerebrum, cerebellum, pons and spinal cord by mouse inoculation.     

Effects of pressure impulse and peak pressure of a shockwave on microjet velocity in a microchannel

We experimentally investigate the effect of a shockwave on the velocity of a microjet and underwater cavitation onset in a microchannel, focusing on the pressure impulse and peak pressure of the shockwave. The pressure impulse and peak pressure of the shockwave are separately varied by using non-spherical laser-induced shockwaves (Tagawa et al. in J Fluid Mech 808:5–18, 2016). We conduct two kinds of experiments. In one experiment, we install a narrow tube and a hydrophone in different configurations in large water-filled tank. We measure the shockwave pressure and the jet velocity simultaneously in order to elucidate the effects of pressure profile of shockwaves on the jet velocity. In the other experiment, we record the jet formation and cavitation onset to investigate the effect of cavitation onset on the jet velocity in an L-shaped microchannel. The experimental results suggest that the jet velocity depends only on the pressure impulse of the shockwave, while the probability of cavitation onset depends only on the peak pressure of the shockwave. The above findings provide new insights for advancing a control method for high-speed microjets.     

A reduced NOx reaction model for pulverized coal combustion under fuel-rich conditions

A reduced NO_x reaction model was developed for analysis of industrial pulverized coal firing boilers. The model was developed from experiments of laminar premixed combustion under a variety of stoichiometric ratios, burning temperatures, coal ranks (from sub-bituminous coal to anthracite) and particle diameters. Calculations agreed with experimental results for NO_x and nitrogen species (NH₃ and HCN), if the model assumed that the hydrocarbon radicals were formed not only from pyrolysis of volatile matter, but also from char oxidation and gasification. The presence of hydrogen in char at the final burnout stage supported this assumption. NO_x reduction by hydrocarbon radicals was the most important reaction in high temperature (>1500 K), fuel-rich, char combustion regions. NO_x reduction from nitrogen species was sensitive to peak NO_x concentration in volatile combustion regions, but NO_x emission downstream had little influence from the peak NO_x concentration. The heterogeneous reaction between char and NO_x was important for fuel-lean or low-temperature conditions.     

Integration design of TPE-RX Neutral Beam Injector on RFX-mod

The TPE-RX Neutral Beam Injector, which provides a 25 keV positive ion beam energy with a maximum current of 50 A for a pulse duration of 30 ms, will be installed on RFX-mod thanks to the agreement with the AIST Institute of Tsukuba (Japan). The main scientific objective is the study of the behavior of the fast ions, which in the RFP helical equilibrium have exhibited very long confinement times.The integration of TPE-RX NBI on RFX-mod requires the development of several new components: a mechanical interface between the RFX-mod vacuum vessel and neutralizer; a Magnetic Residual Ion Dump; a new vacuum pumping system designed to maximize pumping and minimize beam stopping due to reionization.As regards the power supplies the compliance of the Japanese equipment to the Italian safety rules has been considered and layout studies have been carried out; the integration of the NBI control system in the RFX timing sequence has been studied as well.