Personalized video adaptation framework (PIAF): high-level semantic adaptation

Despite much work on Universal Multimedia Experience (UME), existing video adaptation approaches cannot yet be considered as truly user-centric, mostly due to their poor handling of semantic user preferences. Indeed, these works mainly concentrate on lower-level user preferences but do neither consider any fine-grained object-level adaptation nor evaluate different adaptation options based on predicted user expectations. Moreover, these works do not provide owners with property rights that enable them to place restrictions on the types of modifications to be made to the video content. To address these shortcomings, we propose the Personalized vIdeo Adaptation Framework (PIAF) for high-level semantic video adaptation. PIAF is a fully integrated framework providing all the requirements for a semantic video adaptation. It defines a video annotation model and a user profile model comprising semantic constraints that are delineated in a consistent way, based on the standards MPEG-7 and MPEG-21. At the heart of the framework, the Adaptation Decision Taking Engine (ADTE) computes utility values for different adaptation options, considering each shot separately. The corresponding utility function evaluates the possible choices by evaluating multiple parameters that capture different dimensions of a multimedia experience: amount of modified content, modifications to key objects and shots with respect to the semantic integrity of the original content, expected processing cost of the adaptation, and the anticipated visual and temporal quality of the adapted content. Furthermore, the ADTE can deal with intellectual property issues by selecting an adaptation plan of good quality that also satisfies constraints specified by the content owner. This paper places a significant emphasis on theoretical details of the utility function and the computation of the adaptation plan. It also presents the results and evaluation of the adaptation process both in simulation and user study.     

Decentralized robust set-valued state estimation in networked multiple sensor systems

This paper addresses a decentralized robust set-valued state estimation problem for a class of uncertain systems via a data-rate constrained sensor network. The uncertainties of the systems satisfy an energy-type constraint known as an integral quadratic constraint. The sensor network consists of spatially distributed sensors and a fusion center where set-valued state estimation is carried out. The communications from the sensors to the fusion center are through data-rate constrained communication channels. We propose a state estimation scheme which involves coders that are implemented in the sensors, and a decoder–estimator that is located at the fusion center. Their construction is based on the robust Kalman filtering techniques. The robust set-valued state estimation results of this paper involve the solution of a jump Riccati differential equation and the solution of a set of jump state equations.     

Decentralized control of multi-agent systems for swarming with a given geometric pattern

This paper addresses a problem of cooperative formation control of a network of self-deployed autonomous agents. We propose a decentralized motion coordination control for the agents so that they collectively move in a desired geometric pattern from any initial position. There are no predefined leaders in the group and only local information is required for the control. The control algorithm is developed using the ideas of information consensus, and its effectiveness is illustrated via numerical simulations.     

Resilience Assessment of Water Resources System

The resilience perspective, which emphasizes the integrated, systemic concept of human and nature interactions, is increasingly used as an approach for understanding the dynamic of social-ecological system. As the water resources system (WRS) is a social-ecological system, resilience thinking such as Holling??s adaptive cycle has been adopted as a fundamental unit for understanding the water resources system dynamics in this paper. In the adaptive cycle of WRS, the likelihood shift among different phases largely depends on resilience value; and a quantitative method for estimating the resilience of WRS is proposed. The method is related to the degree of change and characteristics of the WRS, and has been applied to identify the phase of WRS in every city in Zhejiang province, China. The results of resilience assessment have also been discussed in terms of adaptive cycle.     

Quantitation of spironolactone in the presence of canremone using high-performance liquid chromatography

Two stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography methods have been developed to quantify spironolactone in the presence of its product(s) of decomposition. Both methods are accurate and precise with percent relative standard deviation of 0.7 based on 5 readings using microC₁₈ column and 0.9 using microphenyl column. By using different wavelengths, the sensitivity of the methods to quantify spironolactone or canrenone (the major product of decomposition of spironolactone) can be increased many times. Spironolactone appears to be relatively stable between pH values of about 3.4-5.2. In the acidic pH, the decomposition is slower than on the basic side of the pH. Even at pH 7.3, the decomposition was about 3.1 times faster than at pH 2.3.     

The use of structural equation modeling in assessing the quality of marital observations.

The authors examine traditional analytic approaches to assessing the quality of observational measures and suggest a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach that extends the multitrait-multimethod tradition to assess both reliability and validity of observational data. Drawing on observations of hostility and coercion in marital interactions obtained with the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scales (J. Melby et al., 1990), the authors illustrate the use of SEM as a means to evaluate estimates of psychometric properties of both observational ratings and family member reports within the same analytic framework, thereby providing more comparable assessments across study informants. The results demonstrate the utility of this approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relative zero location for second-order sampled systems

It is shown that the pole-zero configuration of relevant families of second-order continuous-time transfer functions is preserved after sampling. The results are valid for any sampling period and give tighter bounds for the location of the sample zero than those reported in earlier literature. These results complement the analysis made by T. Soderstrom (ibid., vol.35, p.1249-53, 1990) on the zero location of second-order sampled systems     

Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes for Improved Efficiency and Thermal Stability of Polymer–Fullerene Solar Cells

The effects of the incorporation of semiconducting single‐walled nanotubes (sc‐SWNTs) with high purity on the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cell (OSC) based on regioregular poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl):[6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (rr‐P3HT:PCBM) are reported for the first time. The sc‐SWNTs induce the organization of the polymer phase, which is evident from the increase in crystallite size, the red‐shifted absorption characteristics and the enhanced hole mobility. By incorporating sc‐SWNTs, OSC with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 4% can be achieved, which is ≈8% higher than our best control device. A novel application of sc‐SWNTs in improving the thermal stability of BHJ OSCs is also demonstrated. After heating at 150 °C for 9 h, it is observed that the thermal stability of rr‐P3HT:PCBM devices improves by more than fivefold with inclusion of sc‐SWNTs. The thermal stability enhancement is attributed to a more suppressed phase separation, as shown by the remarkable decrease in the formation of sizeable crystals, which in turn can be the outcome of a more controlled crystallization of the blend materials on the nanotubes.     

Tijuana Case Study Tactics of Invasion: Manufactured Sites

Teddy Cruz describes how his practice in San Diego has used its experience of Mexican/US border conditions to inform a project of ‘urban acupuncture’ that has the potential to bridge the enormity of a transnational divide that exists between two adjacent communities. In essence a simple prefabricated aluminium frame, Manufactured Sites could provide the much-needed, small-scale infrastructures and services for favela-like settlements. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pore structure characterization of cement pastes blended with high-volume fly-ash

The pore structure of cement pastes incorporating fly-ash was evaluated during their hydration process through gravimetry method, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption (NAD) methods. The pore structure of samples is characterized by the total porosity, pore size distribution (PSD), pore internal surface area as well as characteristic pore sizes. The correlation between the hydration process and the formed pore structure is investigated. The results indicate that: (i) w/b ratios have determinant impact on all characteristics of pore structure; (ii) fly-ash replacement ratio can influence the pore structure significantly at early age but this influence becomes less important with sample age by fly-ash hydration process; (iii) the total porosity and specific surface area are well correlated with the chemical kinetics of hydration through hydration degree or the formed gel/space ratio but the critical pore size is rather independent on the chemical kinetics.