KWTA networks and their applications

Winner-Take-All (WTA) or K-Winner-Take-All (KWTA) networks have been frequently used as the basic building blocks of complex neural networks. This paper introduces a new selection rule for network connections that implements stable KWTA networks. To widen the applications of WTA networks, a new class of WTA networks is proposed, and their efficient design methods are presented. We demonstrate the properties of the generalized class of WTA networks, through three application examples.     

Visual tracking using convolutional features with sparse coding

Artificial Intelligence Review - Visual object tracking has become one of the most active research topics in computer vision, and it has been applied in several commercial...     

The squash-and-stretch stylization for character motions

The squash-and-stretch describes the rigidity of the character. This effect is the most important technique in traditional cartoon animation. In this paper, we introduce a method that applies the squash-and-stretch effect to character motion. Our method exaggerates the motion by sequentially applying the spatial exaggeration technique and the temporal exaggeration technique. The spatial exaggeration technique globally deforms the pose in order to make the squashed or stretched pose by modeling it as a covariance matrix of joint positions. Then, the temporal exaggeration technique computes a time-warping function for each joint, and applies it to the position of the joint allowing the character to stretch its links appropriately. The motion stylized by our method is a sequence of squashed and stretched poses with stretching limbs. By performing a user survey, we prove that the motion created using our method is similar to that used in 2D cartoon animation and is funnier than the original motion for human observers who are familiar with 2D cartoon animation.     

Advanced partial encryption using watermarking and scrambling in MP3

In this paper, we propose an advanced partial encryption of watermarking and scrambling using the magnitude information of Modifed Discrete Cosine Transform (MDCT). In MPEG-1/Audio Layer III (MP3), the magnitude and phase information of modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) coefficients is encrypted. The proposed method uses both watermarking and scrambling, and aims at protecting the contents against eavesdropping and moreover against illegal mass distribution after descrambled. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve higher security and less computational complexity by reusing the MDCT coefficients obtained in MP3.     

Predictive simulation of human walking transitions using an optimization formulation

A general optimization formulation for transition walking prediction using 3D skeletal model is presented. The formulation is based on a previously presented one-step walking formulation (Xiang et al., Int J Numer Methods Eng 79:667–695, 2009b). Two basic transitions are studied: walk-to-stand and slow-to-fast walk. The slow-to-fast transition is used to connect slow walk to fast walk by using a step-to-step transition formulation. In addition, the speed effects on the walk-to-stand motion are investigated. The joint torques and ground reaction forces (GRF) are recovered and analyzed from the simulation. For slow-to-fast walk transition, the predicted ground reaction forces in step transition is even larger than that of the fast walk. The model shows good correlation with the experimental data for the lower extremities except for the standing ankle profile. The optimal solution of transition simulation is obtained in a few minutes by using predictive dynamics method.     

Clinical Significance of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Association with Hormone Receptor Expression Patterns in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Hormone receptor expression patterns often correlate with infiltration of specific lymphocytes in tumors. Specifically, the presence of specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with particular hormone receptor expression is reportedly associated with breast cancer, however, this has not been revealed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Therefore, we investigated the association between hormone receptor expression and TILs in EOC. Here we found that ERα, AR, and GR expression increased in EOC, while PR was significantly reduced and ERβ expression showed a reduced trend compared to normal epithelium. Cluster analysis indicated poor disease-free survival (DFS) in AR+/GR+/PR+ subgroup (triple dominant group); while the Cox proportional-hazards model highlighted the triple dominant group as an independent prognostic factor for DFS. In addition, significant upregulation of FoxP3+ TILs, PD-1, and PD-L1 was observed in the triple dominant group compared to other groups. NanoString analyses further suggested that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and/or NF-κB signaling pathways were activated with significant upregulation of RELA, MAP3K5, TNFAIP3, BCL2L1, RIPK1, TRAF2, PARP1, and AKT1 in the triple dominant EOC group. The triple dominant subgroup correlates with poor prognosis in EOC. Moreover, the TNF and/or NF-κB signaling pathways may be responsible for hormone-mediated inhibition of the immune microenvironment.     

Novel blue‐light‐emitting polymers based on a diphenylanthracene moiety

New luminescent copolyethers with diphenylanthracene‐emitting segments and electron‐transporting benzoxazole phenyl were successfully synthesized by aromatic nucleophilic substitution. The polymers, characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, were obtained in high yields, showed good solubility in various organic solvents, and had high thermal stability with high glass‐transition temperatures (125–129). The number‐average molecular weights of the polymers were 10,000–20,000, and they had polydispersity indices of 1.2–1.4. The optical and electrochemical properties of the polymers were also investigated. The pure blue emission for the polymers (maximum wavelength = 430–440 nm) was obtained with high photoluminescence quantum efficiency (76–78%) in a chloroform solution. The blue electroluminescence for the poly(TDPB) (maximum wavelength = 440 nm) was obtained with a turn‐on voltage of 15–20 V when simple light‐emitting diodes (indium tin oxide/polymer/Al) were fabricated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 2151–2157, 2006     

Process optimization of sweet potato pulp‐based biodegradable plastics using response surface methodology

Biodegradable plastics were produced from sweet potato pulp (SPP) and cationic starch (CS) or chitosan composite (CC) by compression molding and their mechanical properties were tested. A universal testing machine, Rockwell hardness tester, and Izod impact tester were used for testing the mechanical properties (flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength) of the plastics. A central composite second‐order design was used to study the effects of temperature, time, and moisture content on the flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength of SPP/CS and SPP/CC blended plastics. The flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength of SPP‐based plastics was 101.1–305.9 kg/cm², R29.0–R96.7, and 0.6–3.0 kg cm cm^?2, respectively. Regression analysis predicted the optimal mechanical properties (flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength) to be attained with a 150–160°C temperature, 15–20‐min reaction time, and 20–23% moisture content. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 423–434, 2002     

A unified theory on solid-liquid separation: Filtration, expression, sedimentation, filtration by centrifugal force, and cross flow filtration

Based upon a new conception that the solid compressive pressure on a cake surface is not null, almost of all solid-liquid separation operations have been re-examined. For cake filtration, the phenomenon caused by the solid compressive pressure on a cake surface is discussed for thin cake. New expression and hindered sed-imentation theories are developed by above new conception using Darcy’s equation. Application of the new conception to centrifugal filtration and tangential filtration is also discussed. Above results lead to the conclusion that cake filtration, expression, hindered sedimentation, centrifugal filtration and tangential filtration can be described with a unified theory, and the main difference between the operations is only the boundary condition of cake.