Extending natural textures with multi-scale synthesis

This paper presents a texture synthesis algorithm that was designed for the tile-less generation of large images of arbitrary size from small sample images. The synthesised texture shows features that are visually similar to the sample over a wide frequency range. The development of the algorithm aimed at achieving high quality results for a large range of natural textures, incorporation of the original samples in the synthesis product, ease of use and good texturing speed even with input sample data two magnitudes larger than used by previous techniques. Like other algorithms we utilise an implicit texture model by copying arbitrary shaped texture patches from the sample to the destination over a multi-scale image pyramid. Our method combines the advantages of different previous techniques with respect to quality. A mixture of exhaustive searching, massive parallel computing and the well-known LBG-algorithm ensures a good balance between texturing quality and speed.     

Stochastic-Algebraic Calculation of Available Transfer Capability

Power systems are stochastic in nature due to uncertainty in bus loading and transmission system asset status. The available transfer capability (ATC) is a measure of "available capacity" in a power transmission system beyond already committed uses, i.e., beyond base case loading. To render the ATC as a more realistic measure of transmission availability, a stochastic calculation of ATC is proposed. A stochastic power flow algorithm can be used to help quantify and evaluate the uncertainty of the ATC. The limitations considered in the stochastic ATC calculation algorithm are: transmission thermal rating limits; bus voltage magnitude limits; and transmission circuit outages. The stochastic-algebraic calculation of ATC is described and tested using a reduced order WECC 179 bus system     

Power System “Economic Alarms”

Power system alarms are used as advice to system operators relating to problematic operating conditions. In this paper, conventional alarms and alarm processing as well as the electrical signals that produce those alarms are revisited with a view of incorporating signals that relate to marketing of electrical energy (e.g., locational marginal prices, and forward market positions). The augmented alarms, termed "economic alarms" are intended to be public information, distributed to all power market players. The issues of divulging system information publicly are discussed. An illustrative example of the concept is presented.     

Simultaneous EEG Source and Forward Model Reconstruction (SOFOMORE) Using a Hierarchical Bayesian Approach

We present an approach to handle forward model uncertainty for EEG source reconstruction. A stochastic forward model representation is motivated by the many random contributions to the path from sources to measurements including the tissue conductivity distribution, the geometry of the cortical surface, and electrode positions. We first present a hierarchical Bayesian framework for EEG source localization that jointly performs source and forward model reconstruction (SOFOMORE). Secondly, we evaluate the SOFOMORE approach by comparison with source reconstruction methods that use fixed forward models. Analysis of simulated and real EEG data provide evidence that reconstruction of the forward model leads to improved source estimates.     

A human-centered approach to medical informatics for medical students, residents, and practicing clinicians

The authors have developed a curriculum in medical informatics that focuses on practical problems in clinical medicine, rather than on the details of informatics technologies. Their development of this human-centered curriculum was guided by the identification of six key clinical challenges that must be addressed by practitioners in the near future and by an examination of the failures of past informatics efforts to make a significant difference in the everyday practice of clinical medicine. Principles of human factors engineering--the body of knowledge about those human abilities, limitations, and characteristics that are relevant to design--are an essential part of this curriculum. Human factors engineering also provides the necessary perspective, as well as the concrete knowledge and methods, that can enable practitioners to properly evaluate their clinical information needs, weight the merits of proposed technology-based solutions, and understand their own inherent performance limitations.     

A Biomimetic,Copolymeric Membrane for Cell-Stretch Experiments with Pulmonary Epithelial Cells at the Air-Liquid Interface

Chronic respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide, but only symptomatic therapies are available for terminal illness. This in part reflects a lack of biomimetic in vitro models that can imitate the complex environment and physiology of the lung. Here, a copolymeric membrane consisting of poly(ε-)caprolactone and gelatin with tunable properties, resembling the main characteristics of the alveolar basement membrane is introduced. The thin bioinspired membrane (≤5 μm) is stretchable (up to 25% linear strain) with appropriate surface wettability and porosity for culturing lung epithelial cells under air–liquid interface conditions. The unique biphasic concept of this membrane provides optimum characteristics for initial cell growth (phase I) and then switch to biomimetic properties for cyclic cell-stretch experiments (phase II). It is showed that physiologic cyclic mechanical stretch improves formation of F-actin cytoskeleton filaments and tight junctions while non-physiologic over-stretch induces cell apoptosis, activates inflammatory response (IL-8), and impairs epithelial barrier integrity. It is also demonstrated that cyclic physiologic stretch can enhance the cellular uptake of nanoparticles. Since this membrane offers considerable advantages over currently used membranes, it may lead the way to more biomimetic in vitro models of the lung for translation of in vitro response studies into clinical outcome.     

Verfüllung des Rodewischhafens in Hamburg – Zur Technik der Flächenaufhöhung auf Weichschichten

Backfilling of the Rodewischhafen in Hamburg – to the technology of land reclaiming on soft layers. Concerning the increasing need of store and transportation areas of the economy in Hamburg on the one hand and the surface scarceness in the population centre on the other hand force to extremely careful handling with the surface resources. An optimization of already in use present surfaces in Hamburg port with the goal of becoming changed requirements fairly more and more land reclamation activities are necessary on former harbor basins, which had been partly filled up with dredged mud. The coverage of these basins makes high requirements to the geotechnical design and the execution of construction due to the very low bearing capacity of the mud. In this contribution the load bearing concept is presented by using special geosynthetic reinforcement products as well as the necessary ground investigations and construction designs. The engineering design lead into recommendations regarding the application of the observation method during the execution of construction. Finally the results of the deformation observations are described.     

Detection and utilization of heat and infrared radiation emitted by magnetic elements during magnetic reversal

In ferrimagnetic and ferromagnetic materials, various energy losses occur during the period of magnetic reversal. These losses, arising from eddy currents, hysteresis effects, domain-wall relaxation, and resonance phenomena, dissipate as heat and infrared radiation. Materials are available with which to build devices to detect this heat and infrared radiation and to provide electrical and/or visual outputs usable as indicators of the magnetic reversal or change of state. By employing these concepts, various new and useful devices can be designed. This article will examine these concepts and some related devices designed by the author.     

Latency Viewed as a Stochastic Process and its Impact on Wide Area Power System Control Signals

A method of calculating the communication delay (latency) for measurements and control signals in a power system is shown. The basis of the calculation is a dedicated communication channel for control signals. The time delay calculation is examined using a dynamic equivalent of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council transmission system. The impact on control system response is discussed. The application given is a wide area control system for interarea mode damping. Results demonstrate that control signal latency can degrade the performance of controls in a wide area control system.     

A Multiplex CRISPR-Screen Identifies PLA2G4A as Prognostic Marker and Druggable Target for HOXA9 and MEIS1 Dependent AML

HOXA9 and MEIS1 are frequently upregulated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including those with MLL-rearrangement. Because of their pivotal role in hemostasis, HOXA9 and MEIS1 appear non-druggable. We, thus, interrogated gene expression data of pre-leukemic (overexpressing Hoxa9) and leukemogenic (overexpressing Hoxa9 and Meis1; H9M) murine cell lines to identify cancer vulnerabilities. Through gene expression analysis and gene set enrichment analyses, we compiled a list of 15 candidates for functional validation. Using a novel lentiviral multiplexing approach, we selected and tested highly active sgRNAs to knockout candidate genes by CRISPR/Cas9, and subsequently identified a H9M cell growth dependency on the cytosolic phospholipase A2 (PLA2G4A). Similar results were obtained by shRNA-mediated suppression of Pla2g4a. Remarkably, pharmacologic inhibition of PLA2G4A with arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (AACOCF3) accelerated the loss of H9M cells in bulk cultures. Additionally, AACOCF3 treatment of H9M cells reduced colony numbers and colony sizes in methylcellulose. Moreover, AACOCF3 was highly active in human AML with MLL rearrangement, in which PLA2G4A was significantly higher expressed than in AML patients without MLL rearrangement, and is sufficient as an independent prognostic marker. Our work, thus, identifies PLA2G4A as a prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for H9M-dependent AML with MLL-rearrangement.