Unsupervised classification of cell images using pyramid nodelinking

In this communication we describe a segmentation technique which combines two properties in an iterative and hierarchial matter to correctly segment and classify the given cell images. The technique is applied to digital images taken from microscope slides of cultured rat liver cells, and the goal is to classify these cells into one of three possible classes. The first class cells (I) are morphologically normal and stain the darkest. The second class cells (II) are slightly damaged showing both nuclear and cytoplasmic swelling with resultant lessening of staining affinity. The third class cells (III) are markedly damaged as demonstrated by the presence of cytoplasmic vacuolization, or are completely disintegrated. First class cells are classified by taking advantage of their staining affinity; the original gray level image is segmented into four gray levels. The darkest is then classified as type I. Type III cells are classified by using high business as a characteristic; the standard deviation of the original image is segmented into four business levels. The highest level is classified as type III cell. Assuming only the three cell types are present in any given image, the remaining non-background unclassified pixels are determined to belong to type II cells.     

Accurate event-driven motion compensation in high-resolution PET incorporating scattered and random events

With continuing improvements in spatial resolution of positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, small patient movements during PET imaging become a significant source of resolution degradation. This work develops and investigates a comprehensive formalism for accurate motion-compensated reconstruction which at the same time is very feasible in the context of high-resolution PET. In particular, this paper proposes an effective method to incorporate presence of scattered and random coincidences in the context of motion (which is similarly applicable to various other motion correction schemes). The overall reconstruction framework takes into consideration missing projection data which are not detected due to motion, and additionally, incorporates information from all detected events, including those which fall outside the field-of-view following motion correction. The proposed approach has been extensively validated using phantom experiments as well as realistic simulations of a new mathematical brain phantom developed in this work, and the results for a dynamic patient study are also presented.      

Impact of technology scaling on thermal behavior of leakage current in sub-quarter micron MOSFETs: perspective of low temperature current testing

The increase in the off-state current for sub-quarter micron CMOS technologies is making conventional I_DDQ testing ineffective. Since natural process variation together with low-V_TH devices can significantly increase the absolute leakage value and the variation, choosing a single threshold for I_DDQ testing is impractical. One of the potential solutions is the cooling of the chip during current testing. In this paper we analyze the impact of CMOS technology scaling on the thermal behavior of different leakage current mechanisms in n-MOSFETs and estimate the effectiveness of low temperature I_DDQ testing. We found that the conventional single threshold low temperature I_DDQ testing is not effective for sub-quarter micron CMOS technologies and propose the low temperature ΔI_DDQ test method. The difference between pass and fail current limits was estimated more than 200× for 0.13-μm CMOS technology.     

Effect of Magnesium and Osteoblast Cell Presence on Hydroxyapatite Formation on (Ti,Mg)N Thin Film Coatings

TiN and (Ti,Mg)N thin film coatings were deposited on Ti substrates by an arc-physical vapor deposition technique. The effect of cell presence on hydroxyapatite (HA) formation was investigated using surfaces with four different Mg contents (0, 8.1, 11.31, and 28.49 at.%). Accelerated corrosion above 10 at.% Mg had a negative effect on the performance in terms of both cell proliferation and mineralization. In the absence of cells, Mg-free TiN coatings and low-Mg (8.1 at.%)-doped (Ti,Mg)N surfaces led to an early HA deposition (after 7 days and 14 days, respectively) in cell culture medium (DMEM), but the crystallinity was low. More crystalline HA structures were obtained in the presence of the cells. HA deposits with an ideal Ca/P ratio were obtained at least a week earlier, at day 14, in TiN and low-Mg (8.1 at.%)-doped (Ti,Mg)N compared with that of high-Mg-containing surfaces (>10 at.%). A thicker mineralized matrix was formed on low-Mg (8.1 at.%)-doped (Ti,Mg)N relative to that of the TiN sample. Low-Mg doping (<10 at.%) into TiN coatings resulted in better cell proliferation and thicker mineralized matrix formation, so it could be a promising alternative for hard tissue applications.     

Correction to: Dependence of Tribological Performance and Tribopolymerization on the Surface Binding Strength of Selected Cycloalkane-Carboxylic Acid Additives

Tribology Letters - In an elastohydrodynamic lubricated (EHL) contact under Zero Entrainment Velocity (ZEV) condition, surfaces cannot be separated by hydrodynamic lift. In this work, two other...     

Natural frequency analysis of lattice boom crane theoretically and experimentally

International Journal of Steel Structures - Having knowledge of dynamic properties named as natural frequency and mode shapes during the design process is important to determine proper design...     

Decolorisation treatments of azo dye waste waters including dichlorotriazinyl reactive groups by using advanced oxidation method

Decolorisation treatments of azo dye waste waters, which include dichlorotriazinyl reactive groups, were investigated by using ultraviolet (UV) radiation and hydrogen peroxide at various exposure times. Decolorisation time decreased when UV radiation power and hydrogen peroxide concentration increased. Colour removal reached 98.0–99.5% by using this method. Some environmental parameters of decolorised waste water, such as biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), total inorganic carbon (TIC), total carbon (TC), adsorbable organohalides (AOX), sulphate and chloride, were determined. It was concluded that TOC, COD and AOX decreased while BOD increased and sulphate ions remained unchanged. These results suggested that the dye molecules were totally destroyed and some of these decomposition products were removed as carbon dioxide and water to some degree.     

An Investigation into the Corrosion Behavior of MgO/ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanocomposite Coatings Prepared by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation on the AZ91 Magnesium Alloy

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of AZ91 Mg alloys was performed in ZrO₂ nanoparticles containing Na₂SiO₃-based electrolytes. The phase composition and the microstructure of PEO coatings were analyzed by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy followed by energy dispersive spectroscopy. Pitting corrosion properties of the coatings were investigated using cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests in a Ringer solution. The results showed the better pitting corrosion resistance of the composite coating, as compared to the oxide one, due to the thickened inner layer and the decrease in the surface defects of the composite coating. Also, the PEO process decreased the corrosion current density from 25.06 µA/cm² in the Mg alloy to 2.7 µA/cm² in the oxide coating and 0.47 µA/cm² in the composite coating.     

TADAS dampers in very large deformations

Triangular-plate Added Damping and Stiffness (TADAS) dampers are special kinds of passive control devices that can be used in seismic design and retrofitting of structural systems. However, when exposed to large deformations, primary members of a structure can be in danger of serious damage due to improper geometric characteristics of these dampers. In this study, response of a one bay frame equipped with a TADAS device, previously tested in the laboratory, was simulated using a detailed FE model in ABAQUS. A monotonic analysis was then conducted on the TADAS damper alone, which indicated that in large deformations, TADAS damper pins hit the top of the holes, resulting in an abrupt stiffness increase in the damper. Seismic analysis of a six story moment resisting frame with TADAS dampers, using a series of twelve scaled earthquake ground motions, was also conducted in OpenSees which indicated that with sudden stiffness increase in dampers, the value of moments in beams as well as axial forces in braces will increase, causing possible damages in these areas. At the end, a method for calculating the optimal height for the holes in the damper was proposed, which is shown to be in good agreement with detailed ABAQUS models.