Low complexity probability-based piecewise linear approximation of the sigmoid function

In order to improve the network recognition accuracy in the low complexity condition, a piecewise linear sigmoid function approximation based on the distribution probability of the neurons’ values is proposed only with one addition circuit. The sigmoid function is first divided into three fixed regions. Second, according to the neurons’ values distribution probability, the curve in each region is segmented into sub-regions to reduce the approximation error and improve the recognition accuracy. The slope of the piecewise linear function is set as 2-n, effectively reducing the hardware implementation complexity. Experiments performed on Xilinx’s FPGA-XC7A200T implement the MNIST handwritten digits recognition. The results show that the proposed method achieves a 97.45% recognition accuracy in a deep neural network and 98.42% in a convolutional neural network, up to 0.84% and 0.57% higher than other approximation methods only with one addition circuit.     

Concentration of cupric and nickel ions by complexation-ultrafiltration. Synergic effect of succinic acid

In ultrafiltration, high rejection of small ion species can be achieved by complexing these species with a suitable macroligand.We have studied the concentration of cupric or/and nickel ions by ultrafiltration, through the DDS GR8 membrane, using polyethylenimine as a basic macroligand. The rejections of the metallic ions increased with the pH and the concentration of the polymeric ligand as expected. The addition of succinic acid (a molecular acidic chelating) to the mixtures allowed an improvement of the retentions of these ions at all pHs studied. This indicates that positive synergic effect was obtained by the formation of a mixed complex base-metal-acid.     

Disruption of ergosterol biosynthesis,growth, and the morphological transition in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida albicans</Emphasis> by sterol methyltransferase inhibitors containing sulfur at C-25 in the sterol side chain

The sterol substrate analog 25-thialanosterol and its corresponding sulfonium salt were evaluated for their ability to serve as antifungal agents and to inhibit sterol methyltransferase (SMT) activity in Candida albicans. Both compounds inhibited cell proliferation, were fungistatic, interrupted the yeastlike-form to germ-tube-form transition, and resulted in the accumulation of zymosterol and related Δ²⁴-sterols concurrent with a decrease in ergosterol, as was expected for the specific inhibition of SMT activity. Feedback on sterol synthesis was evidenced by elevated levels of cellular sterols in treated vs. control cultures. However, neither farnesol nor squalene accumulated in significant amounts in treated cultures, suggesting that carbon flux is channeled from the isoprenoid pathway to the sterol pathway with minor interruption or redirection until blockage at the C-methylation step. Activity assays using solubilized C. albicans SMT confirmed the inhibitors impair SMT action. Kinetic analysis indicated that 25-thialanosterol inhibited SMT with the properties of a time-dependent mechanismbased inactivator K _i of 5 =gmM and apparent k _inact of 0.013 min⁻¹, whereas the corresponding sulfonium salt was a reversible-type transition state analog exhibiting a K _i of 20 nM. The results are interpreted to imply changes in ergosterol homeostasis as influenced by SMT activity can control growth and the morphological transition in C. albicans, possibly affecting disease development.     

Investigation of a metal-ionic conductor interface in thin film samples using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical measurements

The surface of an evaporated thin film of the ionic conductor β-PbF₂ was analysed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results were compared with those obtained from nuclear and secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements. An analysis of the Au-β-PbF₂ interface shows the presence of a thin layer of partly oxidized metallic lead. Part of this interfacial lead diffused across the gold film towards the external surface where it became bound to oxygen. An electrical analysis of the interface was performed by studying the capacitance as a function of the surface potential. The differences between experimental and calculated values are discussed in the light of the XPS measurements.     

A Comprehensive Approach for Estimating Hydraulic Quantities in a Multi-branched Estuarine System

Despite many previous investigations, there is no theoretically justifiable equation to determine the freshwater discharge, tidal velocity, and salinity in a complex estuary that contains several branches. In this study, the longitudinal distributions of freshwater and salinity concentration in multi-branched estuaries are investigated using a mathematical model, considering the energy balance by frictional head loss and the salt balance by diffusion and advection in a one-dimensional steady-state condition. We attempt to obtain the time-mean freshwater discharge rate quantitatively at a junction where the main flow separates into two branches. The salinity distribution along each branch is calculated by following the dispersion coefficient equation previously proposed for a single estuary. The salinity field is divided into the near-coast region and the upstream region, because in each segment the inland velocity varies according to the tidal flux. For computing the tidal velocity, we propose the Burgers equation and the Hoph-Cole transformation. The theoretical results obtained by these equations were found to be in good agreement with a set of observed data in the Red River estuary system.     

Urban growth and change analysis using remote sensing and spatial metrics from 1975 to 2003 for Hanoi,Vietnam

Since the beginning of the ‘Doi Moi’ policy in 1986, Hanoi has witnessed significant changes in its urban areas. Landsat and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) scenes were used to identify built-up areas in Hanoi, and spatial metrics were used to characterize urban change patterns from 1975 to 2003. Firstly, a spatial metric called the ‘percentage of like adjacency’ was used to discern urban growth patterns, which were classified into three sub-patterns: expansion growth, infill growth and outlying growth. Secondly, the driving force underlying the urbanization of the city for the 1975–1984, 1984–1992, 1992–2001, 2001–2003 periods was investigated using a spatial metric analysis programme (FRAGSTATS). The expansion of urban areas along major transportation routes in the latter 1980s was identified as the main form of urbanization in Hanoi. This paper shows the potential application of spatial metrics as secondary sources of information for supporting remotely sensed data and their use to characterize urban growth patterns.     

Optimal bilinear observers for bilinear state-space models by interaction matrices

This paper formulates optimal bilinear observers for bilinear state-space models. Observers in bilinear form, as opposed to other nonlinear forms, are required to develop an extension of observer/Kalman filter identification for simultaneous identification of a bilinear state-space model and an associated bilinear observer from noisy input–output measurements. The paper establishes the relationship between the bilinear observer gains and the interaction matrices which are used to convert the original bilinear state-space model to a form that simplifies the identification of such a model. Techniques to find the interaction matrices are developed. In the absence of noises, these matrices produce the gains of the fastest converging observer. In the presence of noises, they minimise the state estimation error in the same manner as a standard steady-state Kalman filter. Numerical examples illustrate both the theoretical and computational aspects of the proposed algorithms.     

Arbitrary eigenvalue assignments for linear time-varying multivariable control systems

The problem of eigenvalue assignments for a class of linear time-varying multi-variable systems is considered. Using matrix operators and canonical transformations, it is shown that a time-varying system that is ‘lexicography-fixedly controllable’ can be made via state feedback to be equivalent to a time-invariant system whose eigenvalues are arbitrarily assignable. A simple algorithm for the design of the state feedback is provided.     

Design of reduced-order state estimators for linear time-varying multivariable systems

The design of reduced-order state estimators for linear time-varying multivariable systems is considered. Employing the concepts of matrix operators and the method of canonical transformations, this paper shows that there exists a reduced-order state estimator for linear time-varying systems that are ‘lexicography-fixedly observable’. In addition, the eigenvalues of the estimator can be arbitrarily assigned. A simple algorithm is proposed for the design of the state estimator.     

Depth and depth–color coding using shape-adaptive wavelets

We present a novel depth and depth–color codec aimed at free-viewpoint 3D-TV. The proposed codec uses a shape-adaptive wavelet transform and an explicit encoding of the locations of major depth edges. Unlike the standard wavelet transform, the shape-adaptive transform generates small wavelet coefficients along depth edges, which greatly reduces the bits required to represent the data. The wavelet transform is implemented by shape-adaptive lifting, which enables fast computations and perfect reconstruction. We derive a simple extension of typical boundary extrapolation methods for lifting schemes to obtain as many vanishing moments near boundaries as away from them. We also develop a novel rate-constrained edge detection algorithm, which integrates the idea of significance bitplanes into the Canny edge detector. Together with a simple chain code, it provides an efficient way to extract and encode edges. Experimental results on synthetic and real data confirm the effectiveness of the proposed codec, with PSNR gains of more than 5 dB for depth images and significantly better visual quality for synthesized novel view images.