Epileptic seizure classification in EEG signals using second-order difference plot of intrinsic mode functions

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder which is characterized by transient and unexpected electrical disturbance of the brain. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a commonly used signal for detection of epileptic seizures. This paper presents a new method for classification of ictal and seizure-free EEG signals. The proposed method is based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and the second-order difference plot (SODP). The EMD method decomposes an EEG signal into a set of symmetric and band-limited signals termed as intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). The SODP of IMFs provides elliptical structure. The 95% confidence ellipse area measured from the SODP of IMFs has been used as a feature in order to discriminate seizure-free EEG signals from the epileptic seizure EEG signals. The feature space obtained from the ellipse area parameters of two IMFs has been used for classification of ictal and seizure-free EEG signals using the artificial neural network (ANN) classifier. It has been shown that the feature space formed using ellipse area parameters of first and second IMFs has given good classification performance. Experimental results on EEG database available by the University of Bonn, Germany, are included to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Hierarchical abnormal event detection by real time and semi-real time multi-tasking video surveillance system

In this paper, we describe how to detect abnormal human activities taking place in an outdoor surveillance environment. Human tracks are provided in real time by the baseline video surveillance system. Given trajectory information, the event analysis module will attempt to determine whether or not a suspicious activity is currently being observed. However, due to real-time processing constrains, there might be false alarms generated by video image noise or non-human objects. It requires further intensive examination to filter out false event detections which can be processed in an off-line fashion. We propose a hierarchical abnormal event detection system that takes care of real time and semi-real time as multi-tasking. In low level task, a trajectory-based method processes trajectory data and detects abnormal events in real time. In high level task, an intensive video analysis algorithm checks whether the detected abnormal event is triggered by actual humans or not.     

The effect of nanoclays on the nucleation,crystallization, and melting mechanisms of isotactic polypropylene

The influence of organomodified nanoclay (montmorillonite) on the crystallization and melting mechanisms of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was studied. Films of both neat polymer and clay nanocomposites were prepared after molecular weight optimization through melt extrusion. Products exhibited the tactoidlike morphology since no compatibilizers were used. The effect of introduction of nanoclay within the polymer was studied through isothermal crystallization and linear heating. The results indicated that low nanoclay concentrations induce the formation of the β‐crystalline structure, its formation being inhibited with high nanoclay contents. Dynamic nonisothermal bulk crystallization experiments indicated that nanoclays act as nucleating agents of iPP. Isothermal, bulk crystallization studies indicated that the crystallization process (induction time and crystallization kinetics) is proportionally accelerated by the nanoclay presence. There was also an accelerated formation of secondary crystallization when nanoclays were present in high concentrations. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1889–1897, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

A three-parameter equation for molecular weight distribution of low-density polyethylene

A new three-parameter distribution function is proposed which fits best the experimental molecular weight distribution curves of branched lowdensity polyethylenes. The data were interpreted from GPC measurements, and a special computer program was utilized in order to derive the best values of the empirical constants a, b, and c.     

Scandinavian Thins on Top of Cake: New and Improved Algorithms for Stacking and Packing

We show how to compute the smallest rectangle that can enclose any polygon, from a given set of polygons, in nearly linear time; we also present a PTAS for the problem, as well as a linear-time algorithm for the case when the polygons are rectangles themselves. We prove that finding a smallest convex polygon that encloses any of the given polygons is NP-hard, and give a PTAS for minimizing the perimeter of the convex enclosure. We also give efficient algorithms to find the smallest rectangle simultaneously enclosing a given pair of convex polygons.     

Influence of air oxidation on the pressure exerted by coking coals during carbonization

The effects of air oxidation of three Spanish coals on the pressure exerted during carbonization have been studied. Coals were oxidized by air in an oven at 120 and 140 °C. The extent of oxidation was assessed by the Audibert-Arnu dilatometer test. Coal samples oxidized at different levels were subjected to the Koppers-lncar laboratory coking pressure test. The results obtained indicated that for coals classified as ‘dangerous’ the ‘danger’ increased and reached a maximum at a certain level of oxidation, after which it decreased sharply. This behaviour did not occur with coals classified as safe.     

Thermosensitive and ampholytic hydrogels for salt solution

A series of N‐isopropylacrylamide/[[3‐(methacryloylamino)propyl]dimethy(3‐sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide] (NIPAAm/MPSA) copolymer hydrogels were prepared with various compositions. Swelling of the hydrogels in water, aqueous NaCl, KCl, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂ solutions was studied. NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogels have a higher degree of swelling in water and salt solutions than that of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). Also, NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogels are more salt resistant when deswelling in salt solutions. For <7 mol % MPSA, the formed hydrogels retain both temperature reversibility and high swelling. A higher content of MPSA (>11 mol %) leads to better salt resistance but a decrease in thermosensitivity. The swelling of NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogel in 0.05M NaCl is non‐Fickian. In NaCl and KCl aqueous solutions, the zwitterionic hydrogels do not show obvious antipolyelectrolyte swelling behavior, whereas in divalent salt CaCl₂ and MgCl₂ solutions, the swelling ability of NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogels is enhanced at low salt concentration, then decreases with further increase in salt concentration. The lower critical solution temperatures of NIPAAm/MPSA hydrogels are also affected by concentrated salt solution. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2032–2037, 2003     

Capture device identification from digital images using Kullback-Leibler divergence

Multimedia Tools and Applications - It is proposed a forensic method for the capture device identification from digital images, which requires two elements: i) a digital image subject to...     

Ce3+/Tb3+-coactived NaMgBO3 phosphors toward versatile applications in white LED,FED, and optical anti-counterfeiting

Ce³⁺/Tb³⁺ co-doped NaMgBO₃ phosphors were successfully synthesized by solid-state method. Under 381 nm excitation, the cyan emission owing to the 5d → 4f of Ce³⁺ ions and green emissions arising from the ⁵D₄ → ⁷F_J (J = 6, 5, 4, and 3) transitions of Tb³⁺ ions were seen in all the phosphors. Through theoretical analysis, one knows that the energy transfer from Ce³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions with high efficiency of 83.74% was contributed by dipole–dipole transition. Furthermore, the internal quantum efficiency of NaMgBO₃:0.01Ce³⁺,0.03Tb³⁺ phosphor was 54.28%. Compared with that of at 303 K, the emission intensity of the developed products at 423 K still kept 73%, revealing the splendid thermal stability of the studied phosphors. Through utilizing the resultant phosphors as cyan-green components, the fabricated white-LED device exhibited an excellent correlated color temperature of 2785 K, high color-rendering index of 85.73, suitable luminance efficiency of 25.00 lm/W, and appropriate color coordinate of (0.4279, 0.3617). Aside from the superior photoluminescence, the synthesized phosphors also exhibited excellent cathode-luminescence properties which were sensitive to the current and accelerating voltage. Furthermore, the NaMgBO₃:0.01Ce³⁺,0.03Tb³⁺ phosphors with multi-mode emissions were promising candidates for optical anti-counterfeiting. All the results indicated that the Ce³⁺/Tb³⁺ co-doped NaMgBO₃ phosphors were potential multi-platforms toward white-LED, field emission displays, and optical anti-counterfeiting applications.