A new fast motion estimation algorithm using fast mode decision for high-efficiency video coding standard

High-efficiency video coding is the latest standardization effort of the International Organization for Standardization and the International Telecommunication Union. This new standard adopts an exhaustive algorithm of decision based on a recursive quad-tree structured coding unit, prediction unit, and transform unit. Consequently, an important coding efficiency may be achieved. However, a significant computational complexity is resulted. To speed up the encoding process, efficient algorithms based on fast mode decision and optimized motion estimation were adopted in this paper. The aim was to reduce the complexity of the motion estimation algorithm by modifying its search pattern. Then, it was combined with a new fast mode decision algorithm to further improve the coding efficiency. Experimental results show a significant speedup in terms of encoding time and bit-rate saving with tolerable quality degradation. In fact, the proposed algorithm permits a main reduction that can reach up to 75 % in encoding time. This improvement is accompanied with an average PSNR loss of 0.12 dB and a decrease by 0.5 % in terms of bit-rate.     

Genetic nomenclature for Trypanosoma and Leishmania

We investigated the effect of chronic ethanol administration and its withdrawal on the polypeptide levels of NMDA receptor subunits such as NR1, NR2A, and NR2B in the rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus using Western blot analysis technique. Our results indicate that chronic ethanol treatment upregulates NMDA receptor subunits NR1, NR2A, and NR2B ( approximately 35%). At 48 h of last dose of ethanol administration, the protein content returned to almost control level, thereby demonstrating the reversibility of the changes.     

Microstructure and nutrient composition of hairless canary seed and its potential as a blending flour for food use

Canary seed is a true cereal with unique composition. The current study employed light and fluorescence microscopy to visualise starch, protein, phenolics and phytate in hairless canary seed (CDC Maria), a cultivar developed potentially for food use. Macronutrients, minerals and vitamins were evaluated in the developed cultivar and compared with a commercial hairy canary seed, cv. Keet. A control common wheat, cv. Katepwa, was grown adjacent to the canary seed varieties. The compositions of the two canary seed varieties were found to be similar with an average of 55.8 g/100 g of starch, 23.7% g/100 g of protein, 7.9% of crude fat, 7.3 g/100 g of total dietary fibre, 1.8 g/100 g of soluble sugar and 2.3 g/100 g of total ash in the whole grain. Regardless of the milling fraction (whole grain flour, white flour or bran), canary seed had more protein and crude fat and less starch, total dietary fibre and soluble sugar than had wheat. It also had higher concentrations of several minerals and vitamins than did wheat. The structure of the canary seed grain exhibited compound starch granules and protein bodies embedded in a protein matrix similar to that of the oat kernel. Baking tests showed that bread made with 100% hairless canary seed flour was significantly lower in loaf volume and crust and crumb colour than was wheat bread. However, bread with loaf volume, specific volume and crust colour comparable to those of the bread control was achieved by using up to 25% of hairless canary seed or 15% of roasted canary seed flour, thus demonstrating its potential for food applications.     

Reaction Phases and Strength of AlN/V Diffusion Couples

Diffusion couples of AlN/V were experimentally examined after annealing in a temperature range of 1373 K1773 K for a bonding time range of 0.9 ks21.6 ks. The interfacial reaction, reaction mechanism, and bond strength of the bonded AlN/V couples have been explained on the basis of phase relations at different bonding conditions, making use of elemental analysis, XRD, and shear testing method. Formation of V(Al) solid solution and V₂N nitride controls the interfacial joining of the AlN/V couples. A complete diffusion path between AlN and V could be predicted at 1573 K before 0.9 ks, following a sequence of AlN/V(Al)/V₂N/V. This sequence can be discussed during the Al-V-N ternary phase diagram. At a high temperature of 1573 K, AlN decomposition at the interface took place. A maximum bond strength could be obtained for a joint bonded at 1573 K after 5.4 ks, having a structure of AlN/V(Al)/V₂N + V.     

Comparison of two different approaches for making design sensitivity analysis an integrated part of finite element analysis

This paper presents a comparison of two approaches for incorporating design sensitivity calculations into finite element analysis. The formulations depend on the implicit differentiation method and require few additional calculations to obtain the design sensitivity derivatives. The first approach by-passes the direct calculation of the stiffness matrix derivatives by calculating the sensitivity derivatives at the stress recovery stage of the analysis. The second approach depends on the direct calculation of the derivatives of the stiffness matrix, which are stored for re-use in multiple load case analyses, and subsequent matrix multiplications to evaluate the design sensitivities. The two approaches are developed and implemented to calculate the design sensitivities for continuum and structural isoparametric elements. In addition, a criterion is developed to aid in deciding which approach is better for a given number of load cases. To demonstrate the validity of the developed criterion and to evaluate the relative merits of each approach, some sensitivity calculation test problems are solved with different numbers of load cases.     

A MC-CDMA Mobile Communication System Employing Pre-Rake and Transmit Diversity

In this paper, a multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) downlink mobile communication system employing pre-rake and dual transmit diversity is proposed. It combines high spectral efficiency with an immunity to channel dispersion and fading. It also ensures small size, cost and power consumption of the terminal. Theoretical and simulation results for the system under consideration are obtained. Depicted results show appreciable improvements of the proposed system over those previously known.Emad K. Al-Hussaini received his B.Sc degree in Electrical Communication Engineering from Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, in 1964 and his M.Sc and Ph.D. degrees from Cairo University, Giza, Egypt, in 1974 and 1977, respectively. From 1964 to 1970, he was with the General Egyptian Aeroorganization. Since 1970, he has been with the Department of Electronics and Communications, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, and is currently professor there. He was a research fellow at Imperial College, London, UK, and at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, in the academic years 1976/1977 and 1981/1982, respectively. In 1990, he received the Egyptian national encouragement award for outstanding engineering research. He has written several papers for technical international journals and conferences. His research interests include signal processing, fading channel communication, modulation, and cellular mobile radio systems. Dr Al-Hussaini is a senior member of IEEE. He is listed in Marquis Whos Who in the World and in the IBC (International Biographical Center, Cambridge) for outstanding people of the 20th century.Hebat-Allah M.Mourad received her B.Sc, M.Sc and Ph.D degrees in Electrical Communication Engineering from Cairo University, Egypt, in 1983, 1987 and 1994 respectively. Since 1983 she has been with the Electronics and Communications Department, Faculty of Engineering Cairo University and is currently associate professor there. Her research interests include mobile communications, satellite communications and optical fiber communications.Fatma A. Newagy received her B.Sc and M.Sc degrees in electrical communication engineering from Cairo University, Egypt in 1998 and 2002 respectively. Since 1999, she has been a research assistant with the Department of Electronics and Communications, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University. She is pursuing her Ph.D. there. Her research interests include mobile communications and modulation techniques for spread spectrum and wireless communications.     

Radiation-induced oxidative degradation of isotactic polypropylene

Gas evolution, oxygen consumption, and change of mechanical properties were studied for the γ-ray irradiation of isotactic polypropylene from ⁶⁰Co under various conditions, such as vacuum, air, and oxygen at room temperature. For irradiation under vacuum, G(H₂) = 2.9 and G (CH₄) = 0.09; the G values for other gases were very small. In the presence of oxygen, G(H₂) was the same, and the G values for other hydrocarbons were two times those under vacuum. The G values of oxidative products and oxygen consumption were G(CO₂) = 2.5, G(CO) = 1.1, and G(O₂) = 50 at oxygen pressure of 500 torr and were dependent on oxygen pressure. With irradiation under vacuum at 2–3 Mrad, mechanical properties scarcely changes immediately after irradiation but degrade gradually with storage time in air at room temperature.     

Smoldering combustion of rice husk dusts on a hot surface

An accumulated combustible dust layer on some hot process equipment, such as grinders, dryers, hot bearings, etc., can be ignited and lead to fires if the hot surface temperature is sufficiently high. Experimental tests are used to determine the minimum hot surface temperature for dust ignition, the ignition temperature of dust itself, and the ignition times in this study. Egyptian rice husk dust is sieved into different sizes (particle diameters) to be used in this investigation. The effects of the dust particle size and the sample size (depth of the dust layer) on ignition parameters are tested. The boundary between the ignition and non-ignition conditions is investigated precisely through a large number of tests. The results show that the minimum hot plate temperature for ignition of dusts decreases as the dust layer depth increases.     

Template‐Based Synthesis of Aluminum Nitride Hollow Nanofibers Via Plasma‐Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

Aluminum nitride (AlN) hollow nanofibers were synthesized via plasma‐enhanced atomic layer deposition using sacrificial electrospun polymeric nanofiber templates having different average fiber diameters (~70, ~330, and ~740 nm). Depositions were carried out at 200°C using trimethylaluminum and ammonia precursors. AlN‐coated nanofibers were calcined subsequently at 500°C for 2 h to remove the sacrificial polymeric nanofiber template. SEM studies have shown that there is a critical wall thickness value depending on the template's average fiber diameter for AlN hollow nanofibers to preserve their shapes after the template has been removed by calcination. Best morphologies were observed for AlN hollow nanofibers prepared by depositing 800 cycles (corresponding to ~69 nm) on nanofiber templates having ~330 nm average fiber diameter. TEM images indicated uniform wall thicknesses of ~65 nm along the fiber axes for samples prepared using templates having ~70 and ~330 nm average fiber diameters. Synthesized AlN hollow nanofibers were polycrystalline with a hexagonal crystal structure as determined by high‐resolution TEM and selected area electron diffraction. Chemical compositions of coated and calcined samples were studied using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). High‐resolution XPS spectra confirmed the presence of AlN.     

Some Semiconductor Properties of Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Copper Complexes

Metal chelates of three grades of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (LI-L3) with Cu(II) ions, either originating from CuCl₂ or CuSO₄, were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, and electrical conductivity studies. The results showed that the degree of substitution of CMCs and the origin of the Cu(II) ion have a profound effect on the amount of metal included in the polymer complexes and the structure and the electrical conductivity of the prepared complexes. CMC acts as a uninegatively charged bidentate ligand when it is chelated with Cu(II) of CuCl₂ via the carboxymethyl group and exhibits the formula Cu(L)₂, whereas it acts as a binegatively charged bitentate ligand when it is chelated with CuSO₄ via the carboxymethyl and secondary hydroxyl groups and exhibits the formula CuL.2H₂O. The investigation revealed that the electrical conductivity depends on the temperature and has two maximum peaks. The values of the activation energy for the conductivity of CMC and their complexes indicated that the samples changed from a low-semiconductor to a high-semiconductor property with heating. It is found that CMC-Cu(II) complexes formed from CuSO₄ exhibit a high-semiconductor property compared to complexes derived from CuCl₂.