Reflectance based object recognition

Neighboring points on a smoothly curved surface have similar surface normals and illumination conditions. Therefore, their brightness values can be used to compute the ratio of their reflectance coefficients. Based on this observation, we develop an algorithm that estimates a reflectance ratio for each region in an image with respect to its background. The algorithm is efficient as it computes ratios for all image regions in just two raster scans. The region reflectance ratio represents a physical property that is invariant to illumination and imaging parameters. Several experiments are conducted to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of ratio invariant.The ratio invariant is used to recognize objects from a single brightness image of a scene. Object models are automatically acquired and represented using a hash table. Recognition and pose estimation algorithms are presented that use ratio estimates of scene regions as well as their geometric properties to index the hash table. The result is a hypothesis for the existence of an object in the image. This hypothesis is verified using the ratios and locations of other regions in the scene. This approach to recognition is effective for objects with printed characters and pictures. Recognition experiments are conducted on images with illumination variations, occlusions, and shadows. The paper is concluded with a discussion on the simultaneous use of reflectance and geometry for visual perception.     

A new,flexible and widely applicable software package for the simulation of one-dimensional moisture flow: SoWaM

Most one-dimensional soil moisture flow simulation models have restricted applicability due to (amongst other things): i) insufficient user flexibility; ii) a lack of user friendliness; iii) dependency on scale, temporal and/or spatial, and iv) fixed boundary conditions. Therefore, we developed a simple and highly flexible software package to simulate, visualize and analyze 1-D moisture flow in soils: SoWaM (Soil Water Model). The package has a modular setup and consists of a range of tools to visualize, analyze and compare input data and results. Soil hydraulic properties for each specified soil layer can be defined by either Van Genuchten parameters or cubical splines. Since the model does not impose limits on element size or time interval, it is possible to perform simulations in very high detail, both spatially and temporally. Furthermore, four different criteria for irrigation scheduling have been implemented. The SoWaM package provides an accurate, simple and highly flexible tool to simulate soil moisture flow and to evaluate the effects of various factors on soil water movement, such as timing and amount of irrigation, soil hydraulic properties and soil layering. Results of a case study are presented to illustrate model performance.     

Strength Degradation and Failure Mechanisms of Electron-Beam Physical-Vapor-Deposited Thermal Barrier Coatings

Failure mechanisms were determined for electron-beam physical-vapor-deposited thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems from the degradation of mechanical properties and microstructural changes in a furnace cycle test. Bond strength degradation for TBCs resulted from the initiation and growth of interfacial delamination defects between the yttria-stabilized zirconia topcoat and the thermally grown alumina (TGO). It is proposed that defects started from concave depressions in the bondcoat surface created by the grit-blast-cleaning process and that defect growth was driven by the reduction in compressive strain in the TGO as the alumina deformed into and displaced the bondcoat during the cooling cycles. Inclusion of yttrium in the substrate resulted in a doubling of the furnace cycle life of the TBCs because of enhanced fracture toughness of the TGO-bondcoat interface.     

Mechanism of Oxygen Diffusion in Glassmelts Containing Variable-Valence Ions

A mechanism is proposed to describe the influence of redox reactions, which involve variable-valence ions, on the diffusional mass transport of molecular dissolved oxygen in glassmelts. The concentration profile for molecular dissolved oxygen in a melt with diffusional transport in one direction in a Cartesian coordinate system is described by a differential equation: ∂(O₂/∂ t = D_c (∂²[O₂]/∂ x ²), where D_c depends on the actual value of the diffusivity D of physically dissolved oxygen, the local molecular oxygen concentration, the concentration of variable-valence ions, and the equilibrium constant for the relevant redox reaction. This equation is applicable for diffusion into or outwards from the melt from or into the furnace atmosphere. It is shown here that the value of D_c is always less than D . Concentration profiles for diffusing oxygen in glassmelts with refining agents (containing variable-valence ions) are thus steeper than profiles in melts without refining agents. A decrease in temperature of a glassmelt with variable-valence ions generally leads to diffusion of oxygen into the melt. The flux of oxygen gas into (oxidation) or out (reduction) of the melt is proportional to ( D/D_c )^1/2 and is enhanced by the effect of variable-valence ions dissolved in the melt.     

Risk-based rules for crane safety systems

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has recommended a method called formal safety assessment (FSA) for future development of rules and regulations. The FSA method has been applied in a pilot research project for development of risk-based rules and functional requirements for systems and components for offshore crane systems. This paper reports some developments in the project. A method for estimating target reliability for the risk-control options (safety functions) by means of the cost/benefit decision criterion has been developed in the project and is presented in this paper. Finally, a structure for risk-based rules is proposed and presented.     

Pathway and single gene analyses of inhibited Caco-2 differentiation by ascorbate-stabilized quercetin suggest enhancement of cellular processes associated with development of colon cancer

The aim was to investigate mechanisms contributing to quercetin's previously described effects on cell-proliferation and -differentiation, which contradicted its proposed anticarcinogenic potency. In a 10-day experiment, 40 microM quercetin stabilized by 1 mM ascorbate reduced Caco-2 differentiation up to 50% (p < 0.001). Caco-2 RNA from days 5 and 10, hybridized on HG-U133A2.0 Affymetrix GeneChips(R), showed 1,743 affected genes on both days (p < 0.01). All 14 Caco-2 differentiation-associated genes showed decreased expression (p < 0.01), including intestinal alkaline phosphatase, that was confirmed technically (qRT-PCR) and functionally (enzyme-activity). The 1,743 genes contributed to 27 pathways (p < 0.05) categorized under six gene ontology (GO) processes, including apoptosis and cell-cycle. Genes within these GO-processes showed fold changes that suggest increased cell-survival and -proliferation. Furthermore, quercetin down-regulated expression of genes involved in tumor-suppression and phase II metabolism, and up-regulated oncogenes. Gene expression changes mediated by ascorbate-stabilized quercetin were concordant with those occurring in human colorectal carcinogenesis ( approximately 80-90%), but were opposite to those previously described for Caco-2 cells exposed to quercetin without ascorbate ( approximately 75-90%). In conclusion, gene expression among Caco-2 cells exposed to ascorbate-stabilized quercetin showed mechanisms contrary to what is expected for a cancer-preventive agent. Whether this unexpected in vitro effect is relevant in vivo, remains to be elucidated.     

An objective classification of condensation regimes in direct contact condensation

Intensified heat treatment, using direct contact condensation (DCC), is applied in the production of dairy products to ensure a high level of food safety. The key challenge with DCC is the fouling due to the protein reactions that limits operational efficiency and sustainability. Using a condensation regime map can improve operational decision-making. Pilot plant scale experiments were conducted for a wide range of steam mass fluxes and inlet temperatures at high and low channel pressures. High-speed images were recorded and analyzed to obtain penetration lengths and plume area. The experimental data and image analysis supplemented with temperature and pressure measurement, were processed using machine learning (ML) to develop a data driven model to predict the regime maps. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was found to be the most suitable model. From the ML models it was also found that the best parameters to make a condensation regime map are the steam pressure, channel pressure, subcooling temperature, water Prandtl number, and the relative velocity ratio between gas and liquid. The condensation outcomes were presented with various two-dimensional regime maps. New regime maps are proposed using the Prandtl number and velocity ratio as dimensionless parameters.     

Identification and characterization of a novel cap-binding protein from Arabidopsis thaliana

Cap-binding proteins specifically bind to the 7-methyl guanosine (m7G) functional group at the 5' end of eukaryotic mRNAs. A novel Arabidopsis thaliana protein has been identified that has sequence similarity to cap-binding proteins but is clearly a different form of the protein. The most obvious primary sequence difference is the substitution of two of the eight conserved tryptophan residues with other aromatic amino acids in the novel protein. Analogous forms of this novel protein appear to be present in other higher eukaryotes but not in yeast. Analysis of the native and recombinant forms of the novel protein by retention on m7GTP-Sepharose indicate that it is a functional cap-binding protein. Measurements of the dissociation constant for this protein indicate that it binds m7GTP 5-20-fold tighter than eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)(iso)4E. The novel protein also supports the initiation of translation of capped mRNA in vitro. Biochemical analysis and yeast two-hybrid data indicate that it interacts with eIF(iso)4G to form a complex. Based on these observations, this protein appears to be able to function as a cap-binding protein and is given the designation of novel cap-binding protein (nCBP).     

Ultrasonic characterization of the effect of cold work and grain size in copper and 68:32 brass sheets

The effectiveness of ultrasonic velocity measurements was evaluated as a means for nondestructive characterization of cold-rolled copper and 68:32 brass sheets. An apparatus was designed to generate and receive the zeroth symmetrical mode of ultrasonic Lamb waves in thin copper and brass sheets. The effect of angular variations in propagation direction with respect to the rolling direction on the measured Lamb wave velocities is shown. Interpretation of the variations of ultrasonic Lamb wave velocity were related to deformation mechanisms and texture development in copper and 68:32 brass sheets. Results show that the grain size and cold work influence the velocity as well as the texture of copper and 68:32 brass sheets. Results indicate the possibility of using ultrasonic Lamb wave velocity as a tool to monitor elastic anisotropy.