An Automated Brain Image Analysis System for Brain Cancer using Shearlets

In this paper, an Automated Brain Image Analysis (ABIA) system that classifies the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of human brain is presented. The classification of MRI images into normal or low grade or high grade plays a vital role for the early diagnosis. The Non-Subsampled Shearlet Transform (NSST) that captures more visual information than conventional wavelet transforms is employed for feature extraction. As the feature space of NSST is very high, a statistical t-test is applied to select the dominant directional sub-bands at each level of NSST decomposition based on sub-band energies. A combination of features that includes Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) based features, Histograms of Positive Shearlet Coefficients (HPSC), and Histograms of Negative Shearlet Coefficients (HNSC) are estimated. The combined feature set is utilized in the classification phase where a hybrid approach is designed with three classifiers; k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN), Naive Bayes (NB) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers. The output of individual trained classifiers for a testing input is hybridized to take a final decision. The quantitative results of ABIA system on Repository of Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data (REMBRANDT) database show the overall improved performance in comparison with a single classifier model with accuracy of 99% for normal/abnormal classification and 98% for low and high risk classification.     

Large deformation measurement by holographic interferometry

Summary The use of holographic interferometry for the measurement of large deformations is described. From the nature of holographic interferometry it is evident that large deformations exceed the wave length of the light source used by at least ten times of this size. To obtain holographically identifiable values of large deformations, a method of successive partial lighting is used. It shows how it is possible to keep all the advantages of the holographic method and use it even under conditions which apparently exceed its possibilities of application.     

Produktdifferenzierung f��r?Software-as-a-Service-Anbieter

The market for the new provisioning type Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has reached a significant size and still shows enormous growth rates. By varying size of SaaS products, providers can improve their market position and profits by successfully acting in the tension area of customer acquisition, pricing and costs. We first elaborate differences concerning product differentiation between classic software provisioning models and SaaS. Then, we introduce a micro-economic based decision model to maximize the return of a provider by finding an optimal granularity, i.e. by varying the size of services. This paper makes two contributions in this context: (1) it provides a conceptual foundation for product differentiation within the scope of SaaS and (2) it presents the first implementation of variable reproduction costs for web based software offers. The model is illustrated by a real world case with data from a SaaS provider.     

WI – Call for PapersHeft 3/2010High-Impact Requirements Engineering

Ohne Zusammenfassung This article is also available in English via http://www.springerlink.com and http://www.bise-journal.org: BISE – Call for Papers, Issue 3/2010, High-Impact Requirements Engineering. Bus Inf Syst Eng. doi: .     

Integrationsdefizite des IT-Controllings

Zusammenfassung  Der Beitrag basiert auf der Annahme, dass das IT-Controlling in zweifacher Hinsicht unter einem Integrationsdefizit leidet. Dies gilt zum einen für die unbefriedigende Synchronisation der Forschung mit Entwicklungen in der Praxis, zum anderen für die unzureichende Verzahnung mit den Methoden der Wirtschaftsinformatik. Ausgehend von dieser Annahme untersucht der Beitrag die historische Entwicklung des IT-Controllings, um daraus Thesen zum Integrationsstand abzuleiten. Die Untersuchung kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass Hinweise auf – nach wie vor – ungenutzte Integrationspotenziale vorliegen und identifiziert Potenziale einer weiter gehenden Integration. Aus der Analyse identifizierter Integrationspotenziale werden Anforderungen an eine methodenbezogene Integration abgeleitet und die Realisierung von Integrationspotenzialen an zwei Beispielen illustriert. This article is also available in English via and : Strecker S, Kargl H (2009) Integration Deficits of IT Controlling – Historical Background, Analysis of Integration Potentials and Method Integration. Bus Inf Syst Eng. doi: 10.1007/s12599-009-0053-4.     

B2C-E-Commerce als Treiber simultaner Veränderungen in IT-Struktur und Markenarchitektur

We analyze the influence of B2C e-commerce on IT structure and brand architecture based on conceptual considerations, a case study and an empirical survey. We first discuss the changes in transaction costs that are induced by B2C e-commerce. The effects of B2C e-commerce on IT structure and brand architecture, which are anticipated from a transaction cost perspective, are illustrated using a case study from the tourism industry. We conducted a quantitative study among 101 chief information officers (CIOs) and chief marketing officers (CMOs) from the most important consumer brand companies in Austria. The results of a correspondence analysis show that a high importance of e-commerce triggers a typical bundle of changes in IT structure and brand architecture, which point toward a stronger integration within and between these two structural elements. We therefore conclude that B2C e-commerce calls for a better coordination of those measures that impact IT structure and brand architecture.     

Nonsingular BEM formulations for thin-walled structures and elastostatic crack problems

Summary This paper presents a unique approach, named mathematical regularization, to remove the nearly-singular and singular integrals occurring in the boundary integral formulations for the solution of the boundary value problems with a pathologica integration boundary due to the very near or coinciding parts of the total boundary. Nonsingular boundary integral equations are derived for thin-walled structure problems. In the case of crack-like problems, we present two kinds of the nonsingular integral representations of the secondary fields and the derivative boundary integral equations.     

Lagegeregelte servoantriebe ohne mechanische sensoren

Mechanische Sensoren zur Drehzahl- und Lageerfassung bei elektrischen Antrieben verursachen Kosten, vergrößern das Bauvolumen des Antriebs, bedingen die Datenübertragung zwischen Regler und Sensor und schränken das Einsatzgebiet des Antriebs ein. Daher wurden verschiedene Konzepte zum Ersatz dieser mechanischen Sensoren entwickelt. Sie unterscheiden sich durch den Aufwand, die benötigte Genauigkeit (Pumpenantrieb Servoantrieb) und dem gewünschten Betriebsbereich.In diesem Beitrag wird die Realisierung des sensorlosen Betriebs einer permanenterregten Synchronmaschine durch ein Kalman-Filter beschrieben. Durch Simulation und durch praktische Untersuchungen konnte gezeigt werden, daß die Schätzung von Lage und Drehzahl die Genauigkeitsanforderungen für eine indirekte Lageregelung erfüllt. Eine solche Lageregelung besitzt keinen mechanischen Sensor mehr.     

Initiation of air core in a swirl nozzle using time-independent power-law fluids

Summary Theoretical and experimental analyses have been carried out for determining the injection condition below which the formation of air core does not take place in the course of flow of a time-independent power-law fluid through a swirl nozzle. Analytical solution lends one distinct value of generalized Reynolds number at the inlet to a nozzle below which the air core is not formed. Experiments reveal that there exist two limiting values of such generalized Reynolds number regarding the formation of air core in a nozzle. One value being the upper limit below which steady flow occurs without air core, the other one is the lower limit above which steady flow with fully developed air core persists. In between these two limiting values, there prevails a transition zone through which fully developed air core is set up within the nozzle. For all the nozzles, theoretical results are in fair agreement with the experimental values of upper limit of generalized Reynolds numbers with respect to steady flow without air core. Amongst all the pertinent independent geometrical parameters of a nozzle, the orifice-to-swirl chamber-diameter ratio has the remarkable influence on generalized Reynolds number describing the initiation of air core.Nomenclature D ₁ Swirl chamber diameter - D ₂ Orifice diameter - D _s Diameter of tangential entry ports - E A non-dimensional parameter defined by Eq. (9) - E _R A non-dimensional parameter defined by Eq. (25) - K Flow consistency index - L ₁ Length of the swirl chamber - n Flow behaviour index - P Static pressure inside the nozzle - P _b Back-pressure of the nozzle - Q Volume flow rate - R Radius vector or longitudinal coordinate with respect to spherical coordinate system (Fig. 3) - R ₁ Radius of the swirl chamber - R ₂ Radius of the orifice - Generalized Reynolds number at the inlet to the nozzle - Limiting value of generalized Reynolds number describing initiation of air core - R _z Radius at any section - r Radial distance from the nozzle axis - r _a Air core radius - u Longitudinal component of velocity with respect to spherical coordinate system (Fig. 3) - V _r Radial velocity component - V _z Axial velocity component - V Tangential velocity component - Tangential velocity at inlet to the nozzle - v Component of velocity in the axial plane perpendicular toR (Fig. 3) - w Component of velocity perpendicular to axial plane with respect to the spherical coordinate system (Fig. 3) - z Distance along the nozzle axis from its inlet plane - Half of the spin chamber angle - Boundary layer thickness measured perpendicularly from the nozzle wall - ₂ Boundary layer thickness at the orifice - Angle, which a radius vector makes with the nozzle axis, in spherical coordinate system (Fig. 3) - Density of the fluid - Running coordinate in the azimuthal direction with respect to the cylindrical polar coordinate system as shown in Fig. 3 - Circulation constant With 8 Figures