Object removal and loss concealment using neighbor embedding methods

Exemplar-based inpainting methods involve three critical steps: finding the patch processing order, searching for best matching patches, and estimating the unknown pixels from the best matching patches. The paper addresses each step and first introduces a new patch priority term taking into account the presence of edges in the patch to be filled-in. The paper then presents a method using linear regression based local learning of subspace mapping functions to enhance the search for the nearest neighbors (K-NN) to the input patch in the particular case of inpainting. Several neighbor embedding (NE) methods are then considered for estimating the unknown pixels. The performances of the resulting inpainting algorithms are assessed in two application contexts: object removal and loss concealment. In the loss concealment application, the ground truth is known, hence objective measures (e.g., PSNR) can be used to assess the performances of the different methods. The inpainting results are compared against those obtained with various state-of-the-art solutions for both application contexts.     

Synthesis,characterization and in vitro antibacterial assessments of a novel modified poly[maleic anhydride-alt-acrylic acid]/acriflavine conjugate

Water-soluble maleic anhydride-containing poly[maleic anhydride-alt-acrylic acid] (poly(MA-alt-AA) or MAAA) copolymer was synthesized by free-radical chain polymerization reaction, in 1,4-dioxane in the presence of benzoyl peroxide, 0.1 %, as the radical initiator at 70 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The purified copolymer was then modified with an anti-external fungal and anti-cancer active agent, acriflavine (AF). The modification reaction was performed 48 h at 70 °C in dimethylformamide organic media, using triethylamine (TEA or Et₃N) as the catalyst. The modified or conjugated copolymer/drug couple was named as MAAA/AF. Detailed structural characterization of the copolymer (MAAA) and modified product (MAAA/AF) was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR). The obtained FTIR, ¹H-NMR, and ¹³C-NMR spectra confirmed that AF was successfully bound to the MAAA copolymer backbone by ring-opening reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the MAAA, AF, and MAAA/AF was evaluated by Kirby Bauer Disc Diffusion method on Mueller–Hinton Agar using Enterecoccus faecium, Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Results obtained indicated that MAAA/AF had antibacterial activity on EHEC and S. aureus at 50, 40, and 30 µg. A mechanism for MAAA and AF was then also suggested for the conjugation reaction.     

Qualitative and quantitative measurements of horseshoe vortex formation in the junction of horizontal and vertical plates

Horseshoe vortex formation around a vertical flat plate mounted in the water channel is experimentally investigated. In order to demonstrate the development of the horseshoe vortex system in the junction of the horizontal and vertical plates a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and dye visualization techniques were used. Instantaneous and time-averaged velocity vector fields, corresponding streamline topology, vorticity values were analyzed. Boundary layer separation, developing vortices, secondary or counter-rotating vortices, merging of developing and counter-rotating vortices which results in a primary horseshoe vortex system and corner vortex were demonstrated qualitatively and quantitatively.     

An ANP-based assessment model for lean enterprise transformation

There is a multitude of methodology on evaluation of lean transformation, but only few consider the relationships among the components of the lean enterprise transformation explicitly and focus on their prioritization and identification of the relative importance weights for every element of the lean transformation. For that reason, we try to quantify those relationships in this study. For a structured examination of the relationships among the elements, we suggest a model that provides a holistic view to the lean transformation process. This paper presents an analytic lean enterprise transformation modeling approach to the identification of weights of the organization’s lean transformation determinants. Thus, the highly qualitative relationships among the lean transformation components are operationalized. For determining of the relative importance weights for every element in the model, analytic network process modeling approach is used in the proposed framework. This approach has enabled us to apply the proposed lean enterprise transformation methodology at a global industrial manufacturing company in Turkey, and an illustrative case is presented.     

An eye-tracking study of how color coding affects multimedia learning

Color coding has been proposed to promote more effective learning. However, insufficient evidence currently exists to show how color coding leads to better learning. The goal of this study was to investigate the underlying cause of the color coding effect by utilizing eye movement data. Fifty-two participants studied either a color-coded or conventional format of multimedia instruction. Eye movement data were collected during the study. The results indicate that color coding increased retention and transfer performance. Enhancement of learning by color coding was due to efficiency of locating corresponding information between illustration and text. Color coding also attracted attention of learners to perceptually salient information.