Common coupling and pointer variables,with application to a Linux case study

Both common coupling and pointer variables can exert a deleterious effect on the quality of software. The situation is exacerbated when global variables are assigned to pointer variables, that is, when an alias to a global variable is created. When this occurs, the number of global variables increases, and it becomes considerably harder to compute quality metrics correctly. However, unless aliasing is taken into account, variables may incorrectly appear to be unreferenced (neither defined nor used), or to be used without being defined. These ideas are illustrated by means of a case study of common coupling in the Linux kernel.

Compact modeling of amorphous‐silicon thin‐film transistors with BSIM3

Abstract— A novel approach of modeling a‐Si:H TFTs with the industry‐standard BSIM3 compact model is presented. The described approach defines the a‐Si:H TFT drain current and terminal charges as explicit functions of terminal voltages using a minimum set of BSIM3 parameters. The set of BSIM3 parameters is chosen based on the electrical and physical characteristics of the a‐Si:H TFT and their values extracted from measured data. By using the selected BSIM3 model parameters, the a‐Si:H TFT is simulated inside SPICE to fit the simulated I‐V and C‐V curves with the measured results. Finally, the extracted BSIM3 model is validated by simulating the kickback voltage effect in an AMLCD pixel array.     

Editorial

Pattern Analysis and Applications -     

Histology image analysis for carcinoma detection and grading

This paper presents an overview of the image analysis techniques in the domain of histopathology, specifically, for the objective of automated carcinoma detection and classification. As in other biomedical imaging areas such as radiology, many computer assisted diagnosis (CAD) systems have been implemented to aid histopathologists and clinicians in cancer diagnosis and research, which have been attempted to significantly reduce the labor and subjectivity of traditional manual intervention with histology images. The task of automated histology image analysis is usually not simple due to the unique characteristics of histology imaging, including the variability in image preparation techniques, clinical interpretation protocols, and the complex structures and very large size of the images themselves. In this paper we discuss those characteristics, provide relevant background information about slide preparation and interpretation, and review the application of digital image processing techniques to the field of histology image analysis. In particular, emphasis is given to state-of-the-art image segmentation methods for feature extraction and disease classification. Four major carcinomas of cervix, prostate, breast, and lung are selected to illustrate the functions and capabilities of existing CAD systems.     

Simple Robust PID Tuning for Magnetic Levitation Systems Using Model-free Control and $${{\cal H}_\infty}$$ ℋ ∞ Control Strategies

International Journal of Control, Automation and Systems - This paper proposes two control techniques to provide robust tracking for magnetic levitation systems (MLS): model-free control (MFC) and...     

A new algorithm of modified binary particle swarm optimization based on the Gustafson-Kessel for credit risk assessment

Neural Computing and Applications - To increase the quality of loans provision and reduce the risk involved in this process, several credit scoring models have been developed and utilized to...     

Teaching Mathematics from an Applications Perspective

It is a widespread opinion among engineering faculty that undergraduates could be better prepared in mathematics when taking courses in their professional field of study. The lack of preparation in applying mathematical concepts may be due to the fact that examples from engineering disciplines are not widely used in mathematics courses. Most mathematics departments act as service departments to students majoring in various fields in addition to providing their own degree programs. As a result, it is not economically justifiable for them to custom tailor courses for customers from different disciplines. On the other hand, engineering has a distinct requirement of creatively applying mathematical concepts and principles to engineering problems studied in various courses. Some of the issues that must be addressed to ensure adequate preparation in the application of mathematics include: the mathematical competencies needed in engineering courses; which mathematics courses should cover such competencies; and what examples and problems related to students' major field should be developed and taught in these courses to enhance understanding and application of these concepts. The goal of this paper is not to resolve these issues, but rather to develop a conceptual framework for determining the answers using the Quality Function Deployment approach.     

Fuzzy neural computing of coffee and tainted-water data from an electronic nose

In this paper we compare the ability of a fuzzy neural network and a common back-propagation network to classify odour samples that were obtained by an electronic nose employing semiconducting oxide conductometric gas sensors. Two different sample sets have been analysed: first, the aroma of three blends of commercial coffee, and secondly, the headspace of six different tainted-water samples. The two experimental data sets provide an excellent opportunity to test the ability of a fuzzy neural network due to the high level of sensor variability often experienced with this type of sensor. Results are presented on the application of three-layer fuzzy neural networks to electronic nose data. They demonstrate a considerable improvement in performance compared to a common back-propagation network.     

Effect of long-term stress and temperature exposure on the fracture toughness of Ti-62222 alloy

Fracture toughness tests were conducted on a Ti-62222 (titanium alloy) sheet being considered for use in high temperature aircraft applications in the as received condition and after exposing the pre-cracked specimens to a sustained stress intensity, K, level between 55 and 60.5 MPa for 200 h at 350°C. It was concluded that the fracture toughness does not degrade as a result of exposure to high temperature and the K levels in this material. The tensile strength in the exposed condition also remained the same as in the as received condition.