Hyperspectral imaging-based unsupervised adulterated red chili content transformation for classification: Identification of red chili adulterants

Neural Computing and Applications - Preserving red-chili quality is of utmost importance in which the authorities demand quality techniques to detect, classify, and prevent it from impurities. For...     

Face recognition with lattice independent component analysis and extreme learning machines

We focus on two aspects of the face recognition, feature extraction and classification. We propose a two component system, introducing Lattice Independent Component Analysis (LICA) for feature extraction and Extreme Learning Machines (ELM) for classification. In previous works we have proposed LICA for a variety of image processing tasks. The first step of LICA is to identify strong lattice independent components from the data. In the second step, the set of strong lattice independent vector are used for linear unmixing of the data, obtaining a vector of abundance coefficients. The resulting abundance values are used as features for classification, specifically for face recognition. Extreme Learning Machines are accurate and fast-learning innovative classification methods based on the random generation of the input-to-hidden-units weights followed by the resolution of the linear equations to obtain the hidden-to-output weights. The LICA-ELM system has been tested against state-of-the-art feature extraction methods and classifiers, outperforming them when performing cross-validation on four large unbalanced face databases.     

The GPU on the simulation of cellular computing models

Membrane Computing is a discipline aiming to abstract formal computing models, called membrane systems or P systems, from the structure and functioning of the living cells as well as from the cooperation of cells in tissues, organs, and other higher order structures. This framework provides polynomial time solutions to NP-complete problems by trading space for time, and whose efficient simulation poses challenges in three different aspects: an intrinsic massively parallelism of P systems, an exponential computational workspace, and a non-intensive floating point nature. In this paper, we analyze the simulation of a family of recognizer P systems with active membranes that solves the Satisfiability problem in linear time on different instances of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). For an efficient handling of the exponential workspace created by the P systems computation, we enable different data policies to increase memory bandwidth and exploit data locality through tiling and dynamic queues. Parallelism inherent to the target P system is also managed to demonstrate that GPUs offer a valid alternative for high-performance computing at a considerably lower cost. Furthermore, scalability is demonstrated on the way to the largest problem size we were able to run, and considering the new hardware generation from Nvidia, Fermi, for a total speed-up exceeding four orders of magnitude when running our simulations on the Tesla S2050 server.     

Fuzzy ontologies-based user profiles applied to enhance e-learning activities

Nowadays, the impact of technological developments on improving human activities is becoming more evident. In e-learning, this situation is no different. There are common to use systems that assist the daily activities of students and teachers. Typically, e-learning recommender systems are focused on students; however, teachers can also benefit from these type of tools. A recommender system can propose actions and resources that facilitate teaching activities like structuring learning strategies. In any case, a complete user’s representation is required. This paper shows how a fuzzy ontology can be used to represent user profiles into a recommender engine and enhances the user’s activities into e-learning environments. A fuzzy ontology is an extension of domain ontologies for solving the problems of uncertainty in sharing and reusing knowledge on the Semantic Web. The user profile is built from learning objects published by the user himself into a learning object repository. The initial experiment confirms that the automatically obtained fuzzy ontology is a good representation of the user’s preferences. The experiment results also indicate that the presented approach is useful and warrants further research in recommending and retrieval information.     

Optimal configuration of Energy-Efficient Ethernet

The IEEE 802.3az standard provides a new low power mode that Ethernet network interfaces can use to save energy when there is no traffic to transmit. Simultaneously with the final standard approval, several algorithms were proposed to govern the physical interface state transition between the normal active mode and the new low power mode. In fact, the standard leaves this sleeping algorithm unspecified to spur competition among different vendors and achieve the greatest energy savings. In this paper, we try to bring some light to the most well known sleeping algorithms, providing mathematical models for the expected energy savings and the average packet delay inflicted on outgoing traffic. We will then use the models to derive optimum configuration parameters for them under given efficiency constraints.     

Null values in nested relational databases

Summary The desire to extend the applicability of the relational model beyond traditional data-processing applications has stimulated interest in nested or non-first normal form relations in which the attributes of a relation can take on values which are sets or even relations themselves. In this paper, we study the role of null values in the nested relational model using an open world assumption. We extend the traditional theory and study the properties of extended operators for nested relations containing nulls. The no-information, unknown, and non-existent interpretation of nulls are discussed and the meaning of empty set is clarified. Finally, contrary to several previous results, we determine that the traditional axiomatization of functional and multivalued dependencies is valid in the presence of nulls.Currently with the Air Force Institute of Technology, AFIT/ENG, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433, USAResearch partially supported by an IBM Faculty Development A ward and NSF grant DCR-8507224     

Comparison of mainline and alternate approaches to fusion energy

The tokamak and tandem mirror concepts are compared with alternate confinement concepts using the criteria established in DOE/ET-0047, An Evaluation of Alternate Magnetic Fusion Concepts 1977. The concepts are evaluated and rated in each of three broad categories: confidence in physics and technology, and reactor desirability. The STARFIRE and MARS reactors are used as a basis for comparing the mainline tokamak and tandem mirror concepts with the alternate concepts evaluated in DOE/ET-0047. Two recent alternate concepts, theohmically heated toroidal experiment (OHTE) and thecompact reversed field pinch reactor (CRFPR), are also evaluated. Results indicate that the physics of the mainline tokamaks and tandem mirrors is better understood than that of most alternate concepts. Both mainline concepts rank near the middle for technology requirements, and both rank near or at the bottom when compared with the reactor desirability of alternate concepts.     

The behavior of small fatigue cracks at notches in corrosive environments

The behavior of small cracks growing out of the roots of blunt notches in compact type specimens of an austenitic steel was characterized under fatigue loading in wet H ₂ plus air environment. The growth rates of cracks in the size range of 0.125 mm to 0.75 mm were up to two orders of magnitude higher than the rates expected for conventional cracks at equal stress intensity range, K. It was also observed that the small cracks grew at these fast rates only in corrosive environments when the loading frequency was 0.02 Hz or less. At a frequency of 10 Hz, the behavior was in agreement with the trend predicted for conventional size cracks.The above observations are rationalized in terms of the breakdown of the concept of a single parameter representation of the crack tip stress and strain field by K or in terms of differences in crack tip environments between small and long cracks for the same bulk environment. A simple engineering model is proposed which adequately represents the observed small crack growth behavior.

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Résumé On a procédé à la caractérisation, sous charges de fatigue en atmosphère humide de H ₂ et d'air, de petites fissures se développant à partir des racines d'entailles arrondies dans des éprouvettes compactes.Les vitesses de croissance des fissures d'une taille allant de 0,125 à 0,750 mm se sont révélé être de deux ordres de grandeur plus grandes que les vitesses prévues dans le cas de fissures conventionnelle, soumises aux mêmes variations de l'intensité de contrainte K. On a également observé que de petites fissures croissaient à ces grandes vitesses seulement dans des atmosphères corrosives, lorsque la fréquence de sollicitation était de 0,02 Hz ou moins. A la fréquence de 10 Hz, le comportement observé s'est trouvé en accord avec les tendances prévues pour des fissures de taille conventionnelle.Les observations ci-dessus sont rationnalisées en un élargissement du concept de représentation monoparamétrique par le facteur K du champ de contraintes et de dilatation à l'extrémité de la fissure, ou en termes des différences rencontrées dans l'environnement local de l'extrémité d'une fissure, selon que celle-ci est longue ou courte, et ce dans un même environnement global.On propose un modèle simple utilisable en pratique, pour représenter de manière adéquate le comportement à la croissance observé pour des petites fissures.

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Metallurgy Department     

Intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell based on fully integrated plasma-sprayed components

This work addresses the fabrication of membrane-type solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at medium temperatures, where all components are fabricated by plasma spray technology, and the evaluation of the performance of the SOFC single unit in a temperature range of 500 to 800 °C. Single cells composed of LaSrMgO₃ cathodes, LaSrGaMgO₃ (LSGM) electrolytes, and Ni/yttria-stabilized zirconia anodes were fabricated in successive atmospheric plasma-spraying processes. Plasma-spraying processes have been optimized and tailored to each layer to achieve highly porous cathode and anode layers as well as high-density electrolyte layers. A major effort has been devoted to the production of the LSGM electrolyte that has a high density and is free of cracks. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to investigate the conductivity of the electrode layers, and particularly the resistance of the electrolyte layer. It revealed that the heat treatment had a great influence on the specific conductivity of the sprayed electrolyte layers and that the specific conductivity of the heat-treated layers was dramatically increased to the same magnitude as is typical for sintered LSGM pellets. The experimental results have demonstrated that the plasma-spraying process has a great potential for the integrated fabrication of medium-temperature SOFC units. The original version of this article was published as part of the ASM Proceedings, Thermal Spray 2003: Advancing the Science and Applying the Technology, International Thermal Spray Conference (Orlando, FL), May 5–8, 2003, Basil R. Marple and Christian Moreau, Ed., ASM International, 2003.     

Molecular Aspects and Prognostic Significance of Microcalcifications in Human Pathology: A Narrative Review

The presence of calcium deposits in human lesions is largely used as imaging biomarkers of human diseases such as breast cancer. Indeed, the presence of micro- or macrocalcifications is frequently associated with the development of both benign and malignant lesions. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of these calcium deposits, as well as the prognostic significance of their presence in human tissues, have not been completely elucidated. Therefore, a better characterization of the biological process related to the formation of calcifications in different tissues and organs, as well as the understanding of the prognostic significance of the presence of these calcium deposits into human tissues could significantly improve the management of patients characterized by microcalcifications associated lesions. Starting from these considerations, this narrative review highlights the most recent histopathological and molecular data concerning the formation of calcifications in breast, thyroid, lung, and ovarian diseases. Evidence reported here could deeply change the current point of view concerning the role of ectopic calcifications in the progression of human diseases and also in the patients’ management. In fact, the presence of calcifications can suggest an unfavorable prognosis due to dysregulation of normal tissues homeostasis.