Scalable phase extraction methods for phase plane motion estimation

To efficiently compute the phase difference (PD) between two complex numbers, two novel approaches are described. The problem of fast PD computation is central in many applications. As a case study, the main focus is on the phase correlation technique that is used for motion estimation. Starting from the problem statement, the system requirements are dealt with showing how PD requires a remarkable amount of computational resources. Reduced complexity techniques are then proposed and specifically tailored to suit the application needs. Each solution is completely implemented both in 0.25 mum as well as 0.13 mum CMOS. The so-called LUT-ROT exhibits noteworthy figures in terms of area occupation, delay and power dissipation, saving nearly 50% in terms of area and power when compared to recent work on this subject     

Influence of Ni and Process Parameters in Medium Mn Steels Heat Treated by High Partitioning Temperature Q&P Cycles

In this work, two medium Mn steels (5.8 and 5.7 wt pct Mn) were subjected to a quenching and partitioning (Q&P) treatment employing a partitioning temperature which corresponded to the start of austenite reverse transformation (ART). The influence of a 1.6 wt pct Ni addition in one of the steels and cycle parameters on austenite stability and mechanical properties was also studied. High contents of retained austenite were obtained in the lower quenching temperature (QT) condition, which at the same time resulted in a finer microstructure. The addition of Ni was effective in stabilizing higher contents of austenite. The partitioning of Mn and Ni from martensite into austenite was observed by TEM–EDS. The partitioning behaviour of Mn depended on the QT condition. The lower QT condition facilitated Mn enrichment of austenite laths during partitioning and stabilization of a higher content of austenite. The medium Mn steel containing Ni showed outstanding values of the product of tensile strength (TS) and total elongation (TEL) in the lower QT condition and a higher mechanical stability of the austenite.

     

Peak coefficients of household potable water supply

An experimental data-gathering project was carried out on two boulding aggregations of limited size in the urban area of Naples. Flow-rate measurements were continuously taken during a period of 24 h while the delivered volumes were recorded for approximately three years. The pattern of water demand in the day of maximum consumption is presented in a histogram of the hourly distribution which allows the hourly and istantaneous peak coefficients to be determined. The determination of the average daily consumption per year and the daily peak coefficient is made possible by the availability of quarterly invoicings.Notations F _g Average daily supply - F _g Maximum daily supply - F _h Maximum hourly supply - F _i Instantaneous supply - C _g Daily peak coefficient - C _h Hourly peak coefficient - C _i Instantaneous peak coefficient - F _c Load factor - K Simultaneity coefficient - n Number of taps     

Tuberculosis and HIV infection. Clinical characteristics and diagnosis

The in vitro radiosensitivity of dermal fibroblasts has been found to vary between individuals, and a number of studies have also shown that this parameter correlates with radiation-induced late injuries in clinical radiotherapy. In addition, certain genetic disorders are known to effect radiosensitivity, e.g. normal tissues of patients homozygous or heterozygous for the ataxia teleangiectasia gene show unusual sensitivity to radiation both in vivo and in vitro. Thus, it has been assumed that there is a genetically determined component resulting in a certain intrinsic cellular radiation response in an individual. To study this possible relationship between different cells of a specific patient, we established eight pairs of dermal and tumor fibroblast cultures. The donor patients had either adenocarcinoma of the uterus or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck. The radiosensitivity of these strains was determined by a 96-well plate clonogenic assay, previously used by us for radiosensitivity testing of cancer cells. From a paired comparison, the values for the cell fraction surviving 2.0 Gy (SF2), of both fibroblast strains, were found to be on the same level in five out of eight cases. In patient 6, the SF2 of tumor fibroblasts was significantly higher than that of dermal fibroblasts (P=0.0014). In two additional cases the tendency was the same, but not statistically significant. As groups, the two types of fibroblasts did not differ from each other, mean SF2 values of 0.24+/-0.07 and 0.21+/-0.05, respectively. The SF2 of tumor fibroblasts from SCC patients proved to be significantly higher than that of the adenocarcinoma patients (P=0.030). These preliminary results indicate that the in vitro radiosensitivity of tumor fibroblasts correlates with normal cell sensitivity in many cases, but not in all. The radiosensitivity of tumor fibroblasts also seems to follow the level of in vitro radiosensitivity determined for the corresponding histological type of tumor cells. Further studies are needed to determine more closely the relationship between the radiosensitivities of tumor cells and tumor fibroblasts, thus evaluating the possibility of testing radiosensitivity from tumor fibroblasts in order to estimate tumor response.     

Influence of Biodopants on PEDOT Biomaterial Polymers: Using QCM‐D to Characterize Polymer Interactions with Proteins and Living Cells

Organic conducting polymers (OCPs) are currently the subject of intense research in the area of biomaterials and bioelectronics. Of the OCPs, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) has attracted significant interest, however there has been little work on investigating the incorporation of biological compounds as the dopant species in the polymer which are aimed at enhancing the biocompatibility and biofunctionality of the material. Here, we incorporate the biological dopants dextran sulphate, chondroitin sulphate, and alginate, into PEDOT polymers and investigate their influence on a suite of physicochemical and electrochemical properties. We employ QCM‐D to study the mass of adsorption and the viscoelastic properties of the important extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and collagen. Furthermore, we use QCM‐D to study the adhesion of PC12 neural cells to the PEDOT‐biodopant polymers with and without an adsorbed protein conditioning layer. QCM‐D was found to be an excellent tool with which to study conducting polymer–biological interactions, with this report the first time that QCM‐D has been used to study cell interactions with conducting polymer biomaterials.     

Multiresidue determination of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in honey by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

An analytical procedure based on solid-phase extraction, using ethyl acetate as the elution solvent, and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence and diode array detection was developed for the identification and quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in honey. The method has been optimized and validated in accordance with Commission Regulation 333/2007 and Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. This method allows the identification of the 15 PAHs that should be monitored in food matrices, as proposed in 2002 by the Scientific Committee on Food and later by the European Union in the Commission Recommendation 2005/108/EC, because of their genotoxic and carcinogenic properties. The results of the validation study were in agreement with quality criteria described in European legislation in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, and ruggedness, and the method was applied to the analysis of 42 honey samples (21 from Spain and 21 from other regions). The honey samples were not contaminated by PAHs at detectable levels and thus could be marketed without health risk.     

Plasma endothelin in NIDDM patients with and without complications

OBJECTIVE: To measure plasma endothelin 1 (ET-1) levels in uncomplicated non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and investigate whether ET levels may be related to angiopathy, blood pressure, metabolic control, or duration of illness. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Plasma levels of ET-1 were measured in 44 NIDDM patients, of whom 24 had uncomplicated diabetes, 20 had angiopathy, and 10 had hypertension. In 21 patients, the duration of illness was > 10 years, and in 23 the duration of illness was < 10 years. Serum creatinine levels, microalbuminuria, and HbA1c were determined simultaneously. Thirty normotensive healthy (nondiabetic) individuals (20 men and 10 women) served as control subjects. RESULTS: No significant statistical differences in plasma ET-1 levels were found among all diabetic patients, diabetic patients with and without angiopathy, diabetic patients with different durations of diabetes, and normal subjects. No significant correlation of plasma ET-1 with blood pressure, age, serum creatinine level, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, or diabetic complications was found. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma ET-1 levels are similar in patients with NIDDM and healthy subjects and do not seem to act as a marker of diabetic complications.     

Amino acid composition of wheat grain. 1: Changes during development

The changes in the composition of free and total amino acids in wheat grain during development are described: the experiment was performed in a growth chamber with three varieties of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Splendeur, Hobbit and Maris Huntsman. The changes in the total composition of amino acids of the grain as development progressed were consistent with an increase in the proportion of storage proteins. At 15 days after anthesis, the relative amount of glycine increased, suggesting that at this moment the proportion of gliadins was relatively low. The relative amount of arginine increased in mature grain, showing that at times close to maturity the relative proportion of synthesis of a protein fraction rich in this amino acid increased. Free glutamate, proline and arginine decreased at 15 days to a greater extent than the other amino acids and was present in low relative amounts during the period of maximum protein synthesis in the grain; these three amino acids could be the most limiting for protein synthesis in grain. In the free fraction the following showed a similar pattern of change during grain development: aspartate, arginine and histidine on the one hand, and on the other alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, threonine, phenylalanine and tyrosine; moreover both groups were inversely correlated. Glycine and lysine were directly related to each other and inversely to glutamate.     

Influence of the type of forage supplied to ewes in pre- and post-partum periods on the meat fatty acids of suckling lambs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of forage diets (grazing vs. hay) around the time of ewe parturition, on the fatty acids profile of suckling lamb meat (10-12 kg body weight). Forty-eight multiparous single-bearing ewes were used. The experimental treatments were conducted during the last 5 weeks of pregnancy and the 5 weeks of lactation in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Ewes were fed ad libitum on pastures or hay in the autumn. Results showed that milk from grazing ewes during the pre-partum period had a higher content of PUFA and CLA (P < 0.05) and VA, CLA in their suckling lambs' meat (P < 0.05). The effect in post-partum feeding was greater, revealing higher CLA, PUFA/SFA, PUFA n-3 and PUFA n-6/n-3 in milk and meat (P < 0.05). The CLA, VA and PUFA n-6/n-3 ratios are those that are most affected by grazing. Pre-partum grazing, regardless of post-partum feeding, improves FA composition, increasing CLA content in both milk and meat.     

Keys for successful 360° hypervideo design: A user study based on an xAPI analytics dashboard

Multimedia Tools and Applications - One of the most recent trends in the evaluation of immersive virtual environments is the incorporation of user metrics. In this article, we conduct a user study...