Convolutional neural network with joint stepwise character/word modeling based system for scene text recognition

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Text recognition in the wild is a challenging task in the field of computer vision and machine learning. Existing optical character recognition engines cannot...     

Interprocedural and Flow-Sensitive Type Analysis for Memory and Type Safety of C Code

The explicit memory management and type conversion endow the C language with flexibility and performance that render it the de facto language for system programming. However, these appealing features come at the cost of programs’ safety. Due to the C language permissiveness, highly skilled but inadvertent programmers often spawn insidious programming errors that yield exploitable code. In this paper, we present a novel type and effect analysis for detecting memory and type errors in C source code. We extend the standard C type system with effect, region, and host annotations that hold valuable safety information. We also define static safety checks to detect safety errors using the aforementioned annotations. Our analysis performs in an intraprocedural phase and an interprocedural phase. The flow-sensitive and alias-sensitive intraprocedural phase propagates type annotations and applies safety checks at each program point. The interprocedural phase generates and propagates unification constraints on type annotations across function boundaries. We present an inference algorithm that automatically infers type annotations and applies safety checks to programs without programmers’ interaction.     

New aspect-oriented constructs for security hardening concerns

In this paper, we present new pointcuts and primitives to Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) languages that are needed for systematic hardening of security concerns. The two proposed pointcuts allow to identify particular join points in a program's control-flow graph (CFG). The first one is the GAFlow, Closest Guaranteed Ancestor, which returns the closest ancestor join point to the pointcuts of interest that is on all their runtime paths. The second one is the GDFlow, Closest Guaranteed Descendant, which returns the closest child join point that can be reached by all paths starting from the pointcut of interest. The two proposed primitives are called ExportParameter and ImportParameter and are used to pass parameters between two pointcuts. They allow to analyze a program's call graph in order to determine how to change function signatures for passing the parameters associated with a given security hardening. We find these pointcuts and primitives to be necessary because they are needed to perform many security hardening practices and, to the best of our knowledge, none of the existing ones can provide their functionalities. Moreover, we show the viability and correctness of the proposed pointcuts and primitives by elaborating and implementing their algorithms and presenting the result of explanatory case studies.     

VANET QoS-OLSR: QoS-based clustering protocol for Vehicular Ad hoc Networks

In this paper, we address the problem of clustering in Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) using Quality of Service Optimized Link State Routing (QoS-OLSR) protocol. Several clustering algorithms have been proposed for VANET and MANET. However, the mobility-based algorithms ignore the Quality of Service requirements that are important for VANET safety, emergency, and multimedia services while the QoS-based algorithms ignore the high speed mobility constraints since they are dedicated for Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs). Our solution is a new QoS-based clustering algorithm that considers a tradeoff between QoS requirements and high speed mobility constraints. The goal is to form stable clusters and maintain the stability during communications and link failures while satisfying the Quality of Service requirements. This is achieved by: (1) considering the high mobility metrics while computing the QoS, (2) using Ant Colony Optimization for MPRs selection, and (3) using MPR recovery algorithm able to select alternatives and keep the network connected in case of link failures. Performance analysis and simulation results show that the proposed model can maintain the network stability, reduce the end-to-end delay, increase the packet delivery ratio, and reduce the communications overhead.     

Testability of parity checkers

Checkers are used in digital circuits to detect both intermittent and stuck-at faults. The most common error detectors are parity checkers. Such circuits are themselves subject to failures. The use of parity trees is outlined, and techniques for testing them are surveyed. The effect of the checker's structure on its testability is discussed. Several fault models are considered: single stuck-at, multiple stuck-at, and bridging faults. The effectiveness of single stuck-at fault test sets in detecting multiple stuck-at and bridging faults is described. Upper bounds for the double fault coverage of the minimal single fault test are given for different tree structures. The testabilities of some selected checkers are examined to illustrate the concepts developed. A built-in self-test is proposed     

A scheme for finite element analysis of mode I and mixed mode stable crack growth and a case study with AISI 4340 steel

A new scheme for elastic–plastic finite element analysis has been proposed for the study of stable crack growth (SCG) from initiation to instability in both mode I and mixed modes (I and II). The scheme is based on node-release technique and helps to determine the variation of fracture load with crack extension without requiring much computer storage and time. The scheme permits predictions of load variation with load line displacement (LLD), maximum fracture load, crack tip current plastic zone and crack edge profile. In the analysis the condition for crack extension at every stage of the SCG is considered to be governed by CTOA/COD reaching a critical value. The scheme of analysis is different from the ones proposed by earlier investigators. The whole SCG is analysed in a few stages using the ANSYS software and a single discretization. Element arrangement in the discretization is decided from the very beginning; it has a capability of accommodating changes in boundary conditions arising out of crack extension in the later stages. Each stage is analysed afresh ignoring state of stress–strain reached at a material point at the end of the previous stage. Case studies on both mode I and mixed mode presented considering AISI 4340 steel, which is widely used in nuclear power industry, indicate that the SCG through it can be characterized in terms of a single COD or CTOA. Predictions for the initiation and maximum fracture loads in both the cases compare very closely with the experimental data reported. The results presented also include the value of critical COD/CTOA (0.035 mm/0.0875 rad) characterizing the SCG through the steel and show that the initiation load is not significantly affected by crack tip radius up to 0.05 mm.     

Mesure de coefficients de convection par méthode impulsionnelle—influence de la perturbation de la couche limiteMeasurement of the convective heat coefficients by the pulsed method—influence of the boundary-layer perturbation

We present here some elements in order to improve the non-destructive procedures for the measurement of the local heat transfer coefficient between a plate uniformly heated and an air-flow. We use the pulsed photothermal method which consists of analysing the transient temperature on the front face of a wall, initially subjected to a convective flow, after a sudden deposit of luminous energy. For the examination of the experimental thermograms, two models are used: in the first one the heat coefficient is assumed to remain constant during the pulsed experiment, and we take into account its variation in time in the second one. The temporal variation law of the heat transfer coefficient used in the second model is obtained by extension of the differential method to the unsteady laminar boundary-layer due to a finite duration excitation. We compare the results of the two models in transient state with those given in steady state by multi-layered heat flux sensor.     

Characterization and transformation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Opuntia ficus indica</Emphasis> fruits

Opuntia ficus indica fruits have been associated with health effects, due to their protective actions against oxidation. Nevertheless, few studies about processing of Opuntia fruits are available’; therefore, we studied the pulp characteristics and processing of a local variety, for producing beverage nectars. The pulp had an average pH of 5.64, 13.47 °Brix, with total sugars (106 g L^?1), K (1180 mg L^?1), 503.3 µg L^?1 of β carotene, 120 mg L^?1 of total phenolic compounds, 4.9 mg and 46.9 mg L^?1 respectively for betacyanins and betaxanthins and 243.4 mg L^?1 of vitamin C. The formulated nectars with 35% of pulp (N35) and 45% of pulp (N45) had respectively 14 and 15 °Brix. Minor components represent 1109 and 1112 mg L^?1 of K for N35 and N45 respectively, β carotene (318.6 µg and 362.8 µg L^?1), and vitamin C 227 and 231 mg L^?1. We confirmed the stability and acceptability of these beverages after a month of storage, after stability and panel tests. Therefore, we suggest that the pulp processing can be used as a new form of agro industrial utilization of this underutilized fruit.     

Effect of seed coat fragments on cotton yarn structure: impact of fragment size,attached fibres and position within yarn core

Seed coat fragments are a major source of cotton yarn imperfections. This article discusses the factors influencing the disruption caused by seed coat fragments in ring-spun yarn structure with a focus on three characteristics: the fragment's size, the amount of fibres attached to it and its position relative to the yarn core. The three characteristics were investigated through two experiments involving various types of yarn defects and a range of ring-spun yarn counts. Results presented in this article indicate that the three factors considered have a significant influence on the intensity of the disruption the seed coat fragment causes in the yarn structure, and are determinant of the type of defect that this disruption engenders (short/long defect).     

Phenotypic Characterization and Genotypic Subtyping of Salmonella enterica Serovars Enteritidis and Gallinarum Isolated from Human and Poultry-Related Samples

This study aimed to assess the serotypes, antibiotic susceptibility, and molecular subtyping of Salmonella enterica isolated from food products and human patients with gastroenteritis. A total of 59 isolates were investigated, and the results revealed a predominance of S. Enteritidis with 57.63% (34/59) S. Gallinarum held second with 15.62% (5/32) of total food borne. While, isolates from humans showed 18.51% (5/27) of S. Typhimurium. High level of resistance to nalidixic acid was noted among food strains and 35.29% of human isolates were found to be multidrug resistant. Eight representative isolates were subtyping using three molecular approaches, ribotyping, Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and Multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). MLST showed three sequence types corresponding to two clonal complexes, (ST-78, CC-4) for S. Gallinarum, (ST-11, CC-4) for S. Enteritidis and (S-367, CC-37) for S. Cerro. While, MLVA generated six different profiles targeting nine loci for S. Enteritidis and S. Gallinarum.