Near‐lossless compression methods for spectral images

In this work, several near‐lossless compression methods for spectral images have been analyzed and compared. These methods are based both on the principal component analysis (PCA) and on the choice of a minimum number of spectral points, selected following different criteria. The analysis, initially carried out on 14 National Physical Laboratory tiles of certified colour, has been extended to some spectral images of paintings taken at the National Gallery of Parma (Italy). The comparison of the results with those obtained by applying the PCA analysis shows that the best method indicated as “method of a few significant points” allows reducing the spectral image size of a factor of 10 without loss of spectral and colour information. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2010     

Using contexts and R-R interval estimation in lossless ECG compression

The paper presents a new lossless ECG compression scheme. The short-term predictor and the coder use conditioning on a small number of contexts. The long-term prediction is based on an algorithm for R-R interval estimation. Several QRS detection algorithms are investigated to select a low complexity and reliable detection algorithm. The coding of prediction residuals uses primarily the Golomb-Rice (GR) codes, but, to improve the coding results, escape codes GR-ESC are used in some contexts for a limited number of samples. Experimental results indicate the good overall performance of the lossless ECG compression algorithms (reducing the storage needs from 12 to about 3-4 bits per sample). The scheme consistently outperforms other waveform or general purpose coding algorithms.     

A dielectrophoretic chip packaged at wafer level

The paper presents a dielectrophoretic chip, fully enclosed, with bulk silicon electrodes fabricated using wafer-to-wafer bonding techniques and packaged at the wafer level. The silicon electrodes, which are bonded to two glass dies, define in the same time the walls of the microfluidic channel. The device is fabricated from a silicon wafer that is bonded (at wafer level) anodically and using SU8 photoresist between two glass wafers. The first glass die includes drilled holes for inlet/outlet connections while the second glass die assure the electrical connections, through via holes and a metallization layer, between the silicon electrodes and a printing circuit board.     

Defect-free wet etching through pyrex glass using Cr/Au mask

This paper reports the highest etch depth of annealed Pyrex glass achieved by wet etching in highly concentrated HF solution, using a low stress chromium–gold with assistance of photoresist as masking layer. The strategies to achieve that are: increasing the etch rate of glass and simultaneously increasing the resistance of Cr/Au mask in the etchant. By annealing the Pyrex glass and using a highly concentrated HF acid, a high etch rate can be obtained. Furthermore, a method to achieve a good resistance of the Cr/Au masking layer in the etching solution is to control the residual stress and to increase the thickness of Au deposition up to 1 μm. In addition, the presence of a hard baked photoresist can improve the etching performance. As a result, a 500-μm thick Pyrex glass wafer was etched through.

     

On the connection between the exponential stability of C0-semigroups and the admissibility of a certain Sobolev space

Let T be a strongly continuous semigroup on a Banach space X and A its infinitesimal generator. We will prove that T is exponentially stable, if and only if, there exist p[1,∞) such that the space is admissible to the system Σ(A,I,I), defined below (i.e for all f belonging to the Sobolev space the convolution T*f lies in .     

Cell Culture on MEMS Platforms: A Review

Microfabricated systems provide an excellent platform for the culture of cells, and are an extremely useful tool for the investigation of cellular responses to various stimuli. Advantages offered over traditional methods include cost-effectiveness, controllability, low volume, high resolution, and sensitivity. Both biocompatible and bio-incompatible materials have been developed for use in these applications. Biocompatible materials such as PMMA or PLGA can be used directly for cell culture. However, for bio-incompatible materials such as silicon or PDMS, additional steps need to be taken to render these materials more suitable for cell adhesion and maintenance. This review describes multiple surface modification strategies to improve the biocompatibility of MEMS materials. Basic concepts of cell-biomaterial interactions, such as protein adsorption and cell adhesion are covered. Finally, the applications of these MEMS materials in Tissue Engineering are presented.     

Intercomparison of the Realizations of the ITS-90 from 83.8058 K to 692.677 K among European NMIs

The EUROMET.T-K3 comparison is the regional extension of CCT-K3. The comparison involved the six European national metrology institutes (NMIs) previously involved in CCT-K3 (LNE-INM/CNAM, SMU, INRiM, NMi-VSL, NPL, PTB) and 18 additional European national laboratories. The comparison was divided into five different loops, each coordinated by a co-pilot chosen from the laboratories having participated in the CCT-K3 comparison. LNE-INM/CNAM played the role of pilot in linking the five loops. In each loop, an artifact in the form of a standard platinum resistance thermometer (SPRT, 25 Ω) was circulated among the participating laboratories. To have sufficient information about the possible drift of the SPRTs, the co-pilots performed a calibration over the full temperature range at the beginning and at the end of the loop. A EUROMET reference value (ERV), taking into account the whole comparison, was defined, and the differences (T _Lab − T _ERV) were calculated with the associated uncertainties. The method for establishing the link between the participants in CCT-K3 and in EUROMET.T-K3 is described. Institut National de Métrologie (BNM-INM/CNAM at the time of the comparison, LNE-INM/CNAM since 1 January 2005), Paris, France.     

Modeling Shrinkage Response to Tensile Stresses in Wood Drying: I. Shrinkage-Moisture Interaction in Stress-Free Specimens

This article reports on the wood shrinkage during drying in relationship with the temperature and moisture content. All tests were performed perpendicular to the grain on small clear wood specimens of green Western hemlock while drying at 40, 60, and 80°C to 17, 11, and 5% final moisture contents. Overall, wood dimensional changes and moisture loss phenomena were successfully analyzed and interpolated. The shrinkage strain followed a nonlinear pattern with the moisture loss being the driving force and exhibited good correlation with the square value of moisture content in tangential, and linear moisture values could be used to describe shrinkage in radial direction. Both shrinkage intersection points and end of capillary water values increased with temperature; the distinction between the two values could not be made at all times. A nonlinear function containing two regression coefficients (α and β) was found to be a good interpolation of the moisture loss experimental data. Further analyses revealed that β is independent of both target moisture content and temperature, whereas α appears to be influenced by both variables. The correlation between shrinkage and moisture loss rate is intended to be used as a stress prediction tool.     

Higher-order asymptotics for edge-buckling of pre-stressed thin plates under in-plane bending

Singular perturbation techniques are used to investigate the linear eigenvalue problem that describes the partial wrinkling of a pre-stressed rectangular thin elastic plate under in-plane bending. The dependence of the critical load and the wavelength of the localised oscillatory pattern on the non-dimensional bending rigidity of the plate is captured with a higher-order boundary-layer analysis. Comparisons with direct numerical simulations of the original eigenproblem confirm the accuracy and versatility of the asymptotic technique explored in this work.     

Eosinophilic pleurisy (a study of 27 cases)

After reviewing the specific literature mainly on cytokines role in eosinophilic pleural chemotaxis, the study on 27 cases of eosinophilic pleurisy is presented. Only 3 cases were malignant pleurisies. The ratio between blood and pleural fluid eosinophils has no semiologic significance. Tuberculosis and parasitoses have no special significance. Autonomous eosinophilic pleurisies are regarded as a distinct nosologic entity. Their prognosis is favourable. The glucocorticoids are the choice treatment.