bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lyapunov-Based Stabilization of MEMS Relays
Authors: Bastani Y. , de Queiroz M. S.
Published: December 2008

In this paper, nonlinear stabilizers are introduced for voltage-controlled microelectromechanical system (MEMS) relays. The control constructions follow a Lyapunov approach and are based on a nonlinear dynamic model applicable to the two types of MEMS relays—electrostatic and electromagnetic. Two control schemes are presented with the objectives of avoiding pull-in during the microrelay closing and improving the transient response during the microrelay opening. First, an adaptive state feedback stabilizer is proposed to compensate for parametric uncertainty in all mechanical parameters and selected electrical parameters while ensuring asymptotic regulation of the electrode opening and closing. Next, a model-based observer/stabilizer is proposed to account for the lack of velocity measurements. Simulations demonstrate the performance of the two control schemes in comparison to the typical open-loop operation of the MEMS relay.
Wireless Swimming Microrobot: Design, Analysis, and Experiments
Authors: Zhang Yongshun , Liu Guangjun
Published: December 2008

This paper presents a bidirectional wireless swimming microrobot that has been developed, analyzed, and experimentally tested. The robot is developed based on fin beating propulsion, using giant magnetostrictive films for head and tail fins. An innovative drive approach, using separate second order resonance frequencies of the head and tail fins to generate forward and backward thrusts, is proposed and implemented on a bidirectional swimming microrobot prototype. Dynamic model of the proposed microrobot has been derived based on theoretical analysis. Simulation and experimental results have demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed drive approach and design. The developed swimming microrobot features a low driving frequency, low power consumption, and a large range of swimming speed in both the forward and backward directions.
Genes and Molecules of Lactobacilli Supporting Probiotic Action
Authors: Lebeer Sarah , Vanderleyden Jos , De Keersmaecker Sigrid C. J.
Published: December 2008

Lactobacilli have been crucial for the production of fermented products for centuries. They are also members of the mutualistic microbiota present in the human gastrointestinal and urogenital tract. Recently, increasing attention has been given to their probiotic, health-promoting capacities. Many human intervention studies demonstrating health effects have been published. However, as not all studies resulted in positive outcomes, scientific interest arose regarding the precise mechanisms of action of probiotics. Many reported mechanistic studies have addressed mainly the host responses, with less attention being focused on the specificities of the bacterial partners, notwithstanding the completion ofLactobacillusgenome sequencing projects, and increasing possibilities of genomics-based and dedicated mutant analyses. In this emerging and highly interdisciplinary field, microbiologists are facing the challenge of molecular characterization of probiotic traits. This review addresses the advances in the understanding of the probiotic-host interaction with a focus on the molecular microbiology of lactobacilli. Insight into the molecules and genes involved should contribute to a more judicious application of probiotic lactobacilli and to improved screening of novel potential probiotics.
Influence of Starvation and Subsequent Feeding on Body Composition and Energy Reserves in the PrawnPandalus platyceros
Authors: Whyte J. N. C. , Englar J. R. , Carswell B. L. , Medic K. E.
Published: December 2008

Biochemical composition of body segments and physiological condition of the spot prawn (Pandalus platyceros) were determined during 84 d of starvation and 21 d of subsequent feeding. Maximum molting frequency, 1.79%∙d−1, occurred from day 22 to 43 and mortalities peaked at 0.81%∙d−1on resumption of feeding. Ratios of wet weight of hepatopancreas to abdomen or whole body decreased on starvation and increased on feeding, and so provided an index of physiological condition. Uptake of moisture and chlorides with loss of other halides in prawn tissue resulted from starvation. Resting oxygen consumption rate declined by 50% after 40 d of starvation. Lipid in the hepatopancreas increased during early inanition to become the major energy source. Lipid contributed 73.1%, protein 20.6%, and carbohydrate 6.3% of total metabolized reserves. Hepatopancreas, carcass, and abdominal muscle generated 49.1, 33.4, and 17.5% of energy utilized. On subsequent feeding, lipid, carbohydrate, and protein accounted for 73.8, 20.1, and 6.1% of total caloric uptake with energy assimilation by body sections similar to depletion values. Spot prawn have sufficient reserves to remain in good commercial condition for 40 d without food.
Digestibility and Utilization of Canola Meal in Practical-Type Diets for Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)
Authors: Hilton J. W. , Slinger S. J.
Published: December 2008

The digestibility study indicated that dry matter digestibility of canola meal (CM) was low (56.2–60.4%), probably due to the high fiber content of this product and its relatively high level of complex carbohydrates. Energy and protein digestibility of CM were 72.4 and 83.2%, respectively, and the essential amino acid digestibilities were similar to those of protein in the CM. CM cannot successfully replace either soybean meal or fish meal in practical-type diets for young rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) without sacrificing growth. Supplementation with additional arginine, lysine and zinc, or energy to CM-based diets did not overcome the growth depressing effects. CM supplementation to the trout diet affected the thyroid gland of the fish, producing a diffuse, microfollicular hyperplasia that increased in severity with increasing CM supplementation. Young rainbow trout appear to be more sensitive to dietary glucosinolates than chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and total glucosinolate levels of 158 μg/g or more are deleterious to these fish. We conclude that CM should not, at this time, be included as a feed ingredient in commercial trout diets for young rainbow trout.
Comparisons of Herring Otoliths Using Fourier Series Shape Analysis
Authors: Bird Jerry L. , Eppler Duane T. , Checkley Jr. David M.
Published: December 2008

Numeric analysis of otolith morphology provides vital information to commercial fisheries concerning the age distribution, racial origin, and, to some extent, the environmental history of fish stocks. Conventional methods used to retrieve these data, though proven to be effective, are time consuming, susceptible to ambiguous interpretations, and only semiquantitative. Fourier shape descriptors, when used to analyze outlines of otolith silhouettes, represent a rapid, objective, semiautomated means of obtaining much of this information. Analysis of Fourier shape information derived from otoliths of juvenile and adult Alaskan herring and adult Northwest Atlantic herring show that otolith shape reflects differences in fish age and fish race. The shape of otoliths of juvenile fish are significantly different from those of adult fish. Few shape differences can be found, though, between otoliths from adult fish of different age within the same stock. Distinct differences exist between Atlantic and Alaskan adult otolith shapes. For some stocks, minor shape differences occur between left and right otoliths. Differences in otolith shape arising from sexual dimorphism are not apparent.
Rheotactic Differentiation between Fluvial and Lacustrine Populations of Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus), and Implications for the Only Remaining Indigenous Population of Fluvial "Montana Grayling"
Authors: Kaya Calvin M.
Published: December 2008

Rheotactic behavior of young Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) from fluvial (Big Hole River) and lacustrine (Red Rocks Lake) populations in Montana was assessed in an artificial stream to see if fluvial grayling are adapted to life-long residence in streams by having an innately greater tendency to hold position and lesser tendency to go downstream. Responses of young tested at 0–10 d post-swimup contradicted the hypothesis; the fluvial grayling had strong downstream responses similar to or greater than those of the lacustrine grayling. When tested 18–31 d post-swimup, however, rheotactic responses of the fluvial and lacustrine grayling were consistent with the hypothesis, at three light intensities (full and dim lighting and darkness). Rheotactic differences were even greater in trials at 47–72 d post-swimup (conducted only under full lighting). Big Hole River grayling appear to be adapted to permanent stream residence. Such adaptation reinforces the importance of conserving this last indigenous fluvial population of the geographically disjunct, genetically identifiable "Montana grayling."
Acoustic Analysis of Diel Vertical Migration Behavior of Mysis relicta and Kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka) within Okanagan Lake, British Columbia
Authors: Levy David A.
Published: December 2008

Dual-beam acoustic surveys of Okanagan Lake suggested active diel vertical migrations of Mysis relicta and kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka) within the pelagic zone. Mysis relicta were situated between 90–150 m during the day and migrated upwards into the thermocline region of the water column at night. Two groups of kokanee targets were detected. The first undertook a diel vertical migration and coalesced at dusk with a second, shallow-oriented group of targets. Daytime target strength estimates taken while the two groups were vertically segregated in the water column suggested an 8–12 db lower target strength of the deeper group. The results provide acoustic evidence for a smaller body size in the deeper group and the occurrence of an ontogenetic shift in diel migratory behavior of kokanee within Okanagan Lake. Diel comparisons of depth distribution suggested spatial segregation of Mysis and kokanee over much of the diel cycle.
Temporal Relation between Soluble Reactive Phosphorus and Factors in Stream Water and Sediments in Hoxie Gorge Creek, New York
Authors: Klotz R. L.
Published: December 2008

Temporal changes in soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were associated with sediment and streamwater factors in Hoxie Gorge Creek. Over the annual cycle, streamwater SRP was positively correlated with the zero equilibrium phosphate concentration (EPC0) of the sediments at two disparate sites. Phosphate release during biological decomposition of organic matter in the sediments may have been an important source of SRP at times of high temperature and low discharge at an upstream site. At a downstream site, with lower sediment organic content and ATP, geochemical processes in the sediments as influenced by Ca may have been partly responsible for long-term SRP variations. Short-term SRP changes measured during a storm event were linked by field and laboratory analyses to variation in streamwater Ca. During the storm, streamwater Ca and SRP were negatively correlated (r = −o 791; p < 0 05). Laboratory sorption experiments showed that EPC0 increased by 3.1 μg∙L−1 as Ca decreased by 4 mg∙L−1, simulating the change found during the storm. When streamwater Ca was experimentally increased by spiking with CaCl2 in the field, SRP decreased. Some temporal changes in streamwater SRP can be explained by interactions between sediments and streamwater Ca.
Transport, Distribution, and Abundance of Larval and Juvenile Walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the Western Gulf of Alaska
Authors: Hinckley Sarah , Bailey Kevin M. , Picquelle Susan J. , Schumacher James D. , Stabeno Phyllis J.
Published: December 2008

The spawning distribution of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and subsequent southwesterly drift of eggs, larvae, and juveniles were investigated in Shelikof Strait, March–September 1987. In mid-March, a hydroacoustics survey found that spawning adults were concentrated in the deeper parts of Shelikof Strait, as were eggs collected in this area during an ichthyoplankton survey about 1 mo later. In May, a concentration of young larvae was found 100–150 km to the southwest of the spawning area. In late June and early July, the center of distribution of late larval and early juvenile walleye pollock was further to the southwest, between the Shumagin and Semidi Islands. By August and September, juveniles were mostly distributed downstream of the Shumagin Islands. The rate of drift of eggs and larvae through June was estimated at 4–6 cm/s. The trajectories of satellite-tracked buoys deployed in the region of greatest egg abundance revealed similar patterns to those of the early life stages of walleye pollock. These observations demonstrate that transport is an important factor determining the distribution of pollock larvae in downstream coastal nursery areas.
Nitrogen/Phosphorus Ratios and the Prediction of Chlorophyll in Phosphorus-Limited Lakes in Central Ontario
Authors: Molot Lewis A. , Dillon P. J.
Published: December 2008

The response of mean ice-free chlorophyll a in 15 stratified, P-limited oligotrophic and mesotrophic lakes in central Ontario to changes in mean epilimnetic total phosphorus (TPepi) within a lake was highly variable between years during the period 1976–87. The linear regression coefficient of determination, R2, using all annual means was only 0.36, and within-lake regressions revealed mostly random associations between chlorophyll a and TPepi. Neverthless, by using the long-term average of annual means for each lake, a bivariate linear regression model was developed relating the long-term, average response of chlorophyll a to the long-term, average TPepi concentration in these lakes (R2 = 0.78). Annual variation could not be explained by changes in epilimnetic total nitrogen to total phosphorus ratio (TN/TP). The R2 increased slightly from 0.78 to 0.82 with TN/TP as a second independent variable using long-term averages but remained at 0.78 with 1/TPepi as a second variable. Reanalysis of published data excluding lakes which were not P limited showed that TN/TP is of little or no benefit as an independent variable. A minimum of six consecutive years of sampling was required to avoid anomalously poor fits (defined as R2 < 0.6) for this set of lakes.
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN EVEN-DIMENSIONAL SPACE–TIMES
Authors: KOSYAKOV B. P.
Published: December 2008

The basic concepts and mathematical constructions of the Maxwell–Lorentz electrodynamics in flat space–time of an arbitrary even dimension d = 2n are briefly reviewed. We show that the retarded field strength [Formula: see text] due to a point charge living in a 2n-dimensional world can be algebraically expressed in terms of the retarded vector potentials [Formula: see text] generated by this charge as if it were accommodated in 2m-dimensional worlds nearby, 2 ≤ m ≤ n+1. With this finding, the rate of radiated energy–momentum of the electromagnetic field takes a compact form.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE FISSION TIME OF THE SUPER-HEAVY ELEMENTS?
Authors: BOILLEY DAVID , MARCHIX ANTHONY , WILGENBUS DAVID , LALLOUET YOANN , GIMBERT FLORIAN , ABE YASUHISA
Published: December 2008

Recent experiments performed at GANIL with a crystal blocking technique have shown direct evidences of long fission times in the Super-Heavy Elements (SHE) region. Aimed to localize the SHE island of stability, can these experiments give access to the fission barrier and then to the shell-correction energy? In this paper, we calculate the fission time of heavy elements by using a new code, KEWPIE2, devoted to the study of the SHE. We also investigate the effect of potential structure beyond the saddle on the fission time.
DETERMINING THE DENSITY DEPENDENCE OF THE NUCLEAR SYMMETRY ENERGY USING HEAVY-ION REACTIONS
Authors: CHEN LIE-WEN , KO CHE MING , LI BAO-AN , YONG GAO-CHAN
Published: December 2008

We review recent progress in the determination of the subsaturation density behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy from heavy-ion collisions as well as the theoretical progress in probing the high density behavior of the symmetry energy in heavy-ion reactions induced by high energy radioactive beams. We further discuss the implications of these results for the nuclear effective interactions and the neutron skin thickness of heavy nuclei.
N/Z DEPENDENCE OF PROJECTILE FRAGMENTATION
Authors:   THE ALADIN 2000 COLLABORATION, TRAUTMANN W. , ADRICH P. , AUMANN T. , BACRI C. O. , BARCZYK T. , BASSINI R. , BIANCHIN S. , BOIANO C. , BOTVINA A. S. , BOUDARD A. , BRZYCHCZYK J. , CHBIHI A. , CIBOR J. , CZECH B. , DE NAPOLI M. , DUCRET J.-É. , EMLING H. , FRANKLAND J. D. , HELLSTRÖM M. , HENZLOVA D. , IMMÈ G. , IORI I. , JOHANSSON H. , KEZZAR K. , LAFRIAKH A. , LE FÈVRE A. , LE GENTIL E. , LEIFELS Y. , LÜHNING J. , ŁUKASIK J. , LYNCH W. G. , LYNEN U. , MAJKA Z. , MOCKO M. , MÜLLER W. F. J. , MYKULYAK A. , ORTH H. , OTTE A. N. , PALIT R. , PAWŁOWSKI P. , PULLIA A. , RACITI G. , RAPISARDA E. , SANN H. , SCHWARZ C. , SFIENTI C. , SIMON H. , SÜMMERER K. , TSANG M. B. , VERDE G. , VOLANT C. , WALLACE M. , WEICK H. , WIECHULA J. , WIELOCH A. , ZWIEGLIŃSKI B.
Published: December 2008

The N/Z dependence of projectile fragmentation at relativistic energies has been studied in a recent experiment at the GSI laboratory with the ALADiN forward spectrometer coupled to the LAND neutron detector. Besides a primary beam of 124 Sn , also secondary beams of 124 La and 107 Sn delivered by the FRS fragment separator have been used in order to extend the range of isotopic compositions of the produced spectator sources. With the achieved mass resolution of ΔA/A ≈ 1.5%, lighter isotopes with atomic numbers Z ≤ 10 are individually resolved. The presently ongoing analyses of the measured isotope yields focus on isoscaling and its relation to the properties of hot fragments at freeze-out and on the derivation of chemical freeze-out temperatures which are found to be independent of the isotopic composition of the studied systems. The latter result is at variance with the predictions for limiting temperatures as obtained with finite-temperature Hartree-Fock calculations.
LANGEVIN DESCRIPTION OF THE EVAPORATION RESIDUE SPIN DISTRIBUTION
Authors: YE WEI , YANG HONG-WEI , WU FENG
Published: December 2008

The recently measured spin distribution of evaporation residue cross section in the reaction 16 O + 184 W is studied in the framework of Langevin equations. Results show that the Langevin approach can describe this observable very well. Moreover, a pre-saddle nuclear viscosity coefficient of 5 × 1021 s-1 is extracted by comparing theoretical calculations with experimental data. We also explore the effect of the isospin of a system on the spin distribution by evaluating the evaporation residue spin distribution of nuclei 194 Pb , 200 Pb and 206 Pb . It has been found that with increasing the isospin of the system, the sensitivity of the evaporation residue spin distribution to the nuclear viscosity is decreased significantly. This result suggests that choosing a low-isospin compound system favors an accurate determination of pre-saddle dissipation strength.
FRAGMENTATION CROSS SECTIONS IN HEAVY ION COLLISIONS
Authors: BIAN BAO-AN , ZHANG FENG-SHOU , ZHOU HONG-YU
Published: December 2008

The fragment cross sections are calculated for reactions of Ne collisions with C , Al , Cu , Sn , Ta , and Pb targets at 600 Mev/nucleon using the the isospin-dependent Boltzmann-Langevin equation. We found that the production cross sections for fragments Z = 2 to 9 are qualitatively reproduced by the present calculations except for C target. In order to understand the effects of heavy ion interaction with biomolecules well, we calculate the fragmentation cross sections for reactions of 12 C + 2 H , 12 C , 14 N , 16 O at beam energies from 50 to 100 MeV/nucleon. It is found that fragment species increase approximately with increasing target mass. The obvious increment of the fragment cross sections for heavier targets at the beam energies from 50 to 80 MeV/nucleon are shown.
HEAVY ION DYNAMICS AND NEUTRON STARS
Authors: DI TORO MASSIMO
Published: December 2008

Some considerations are reported, freely inspired from the presentations and discussions during the Beijing Normal University Meeting on the above Subject, held in July 2007. Of course this cannot be a complete summary but just a collection of personal thoughts aroused during the workshop.
FLEXION CONTRACTURE OF THE ELBOW DUE TO PHLEBOSCLEROSIS INDUCED BY ANTI-CANCER DRUG INFUSION
Authors: Fujimaki Ryoji , Nakamura Toshiyasu , Sato Kaziki , Toyama Yoshiaki , Ikegami Hiroyasu
Published: December 2008

This case report describes a patient with elbow contracture due to phlebosclerosis induced by anti-cancer drug infusion. Limitation of elbow extension was completely relieved by surgical excision of the sclerotic vein.
SOLITARY PERIOSTEAL CHONDROMA PRESENTING AS A SNAPPING FINGER: AN UNUSUAL LOCATION
Authors: Yamauchi Toru , Oshiro Osamu , Hiraoka Shuji
Published: December 2008

We report an unusual case of a solitary periosteal chondroma presenting as a snapping finger and pain in the ring finger in a 37-year-old man. The snapping symptom was caused by impingement of this solitary chondroma. In this case, the periosteal chondroma was detached due to a finger sprain. Thus, the solitary chondroma was impinged between basal phalanx and extensor tendon, causing the pain and snapping finger. When patients with snapping finger present, CT scans can be helpful to make a correct diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this condition has not been described in the PIP joint.
A CLASS OF ORTHOGONAL TWO-DIRECTION REFINABLE FUNCTIONS AND TWO-DIRECTION WAVELETS
Authors: YANG SHOUZHI , XIE CHANGZHEN
Published: December 2008

In this paper, an algorithm for constructing a class of orthogonal two-direction refinable functions and the corresponding orthogonal two-direction wavelets is obtained. In addition, the relation of both two-direction refinable functions and multiwavelets is discussed. We discover that Chui–Lian's orthogonal symmetric/antisymmetric multiscaling functions and the corresponding multiwavelets can be recovered by using an orthogonal two-direction refinable function and the corresponding two-direction wavelets, respectively. Finally, some construction examples are given.
POLAR WAVELET TRANSFORM FOR TIME SERIES DATA
Authors: KANG SEONGGU , LEE SANGJUN
Published: December 2008

In this paper, we propose the novel wavelet transform, called the Polar wavelet, which can improve the search performance in large time series databases. In general, Harr wavelet has been popularly used to extract features from time series data. However, Harr wavelet shows the poor performance for locally distributed time series data which are clustered around certain values, since it uses the averages to reduce the dimensionality of data. Moreover, Harr wavelet has the limitation that it works best if the length of time series is 2n, and otherwise it approximates the left side of real signal by substituting the right side with 0 elements to make the length of time series to 2n, which consequently, distortion of a signal occurs. The Polar wavelet does not only suggest the solution of the low distinction between time sequences of similar averages in Harr wavelet transform, but also improves the search performance as the length of time series is increased. Actually, several kinds of data such as rainfall are locally distributed and have the similar averages, so Harr wavelet which transforms data using their averages has shortcomings, naturally. To solve this problem, the Polar wavelet uses the polar coordinates which are not affected from averages and can improve the search performance especially in locally distributed time series databases. In addition, we show that the Polar wavelet guarantees no false dismissals. The effectiveness of the Polar wavelet is evaluated empirically on real weather data and the syntactic data, reporting the significant improvements in reducing the search space.
Deep photo
Authors: Kopf Johannes , Neubert Boris , Chen Billy , Cohen Michael , Cohen-Or Daniel , Deussen Oliver , Uyttendaele Matt , Lischinski Dani
Published: December 2008

In this paper, we introduce a novel system for browsing, enhancing, and manipulating casual outdoor photographs by combining them with already existing georeferenced digital terrain and urban models. A simple interactive registration process is used to align a photograph with such a model. Once the photograph and the model have been registered, an abundance of information, such as depth, texture, and GIS data, becomes immediately available to our system. This information, in turn, enables a variety of operations, ranging from dehazing and relighting the photograph, to novel view synthesis, and overlaying with geographic information. We describe the implementation of a number of these applications and discuss possible extensions. Our results show that augmenting photographs with already available 3D models of the world supports a wide variety of new ways for us to experience and interact with our everyday snapshots.
Animating animal motion from still
Authors: Xu Xuemiao , Wan Liang , Liu Xiaopei , Wong Tien-Tsin , Wang Liansheng , Leung Chi-Sing
Published: December 2008

Even though the temporal information is lost, a still picture of moving animals hints at their motion. In this paper, we infer motion cycle of animals from the "motion snapshots" (snapshots of different individuals) captured in a still picture. By finding the motion path in the graph connecting motion snapshots, we can infer the order of motion snapshots with respect to time, and hence the motion cycle. Both "half-cycle" and "full-cycle" motions can be inferred in a unified manner. Therefore, we can animate a still picture of a moving animal group by morphing among the ordered snapshots. By refining the pose, morphology, and appearance consistencies, smooth and realistic animal motion can be synthesized. Our results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method to a wide range of species, including birds, fishes, mammals, and reptiles.
Interactive normal reconstruction from a single image
Authors: Wu Tai-Pang , Sun Jian , Tang Chi-Keung , Shum Heung-Yeung
Published: December 2008

We present an interactive system for reconstructing surface normals from a single image. Our approach has two complementary contributions. First, we introduce a novel shape-from-shading algorithm (SfS) that produces faithful normal reconstruction for local image region (high-frequency component), but it fails to faithfully recover the overall global structure (low-frequency component). Our second contribution consists of an approach that corrects low-frequency error using a simple markup procedure. This approach, aptly calledrotation palette, allows the user to specify large scale corrections of surface normals by drawing simple stroke correspondences between the normal map and a sphere image which represents rotation directions. Combining these two approaches, we can produce high-quality surfaces quickly from single images.
Video puppetry
Authors: Barnes Connelly , Jacobs David E. , Sanders Jason , Goldman Dan B , Rusinkiewicz Szymon , Finkelstein Adam , Agrawala Maneesh
Published: December 2008

We present a video-based interface that allows users of all skill levels to quickly create cutout-style animations by performing the character motions. The puppeteer first creates a cast of physical puppets using paper, markers and scissors. He then physically moves these puppets to tell a story. Using an inexpensive overhead camera our system tracks the motions of the puppets and renders them on a new background while removing the puppeteer's hands. Our system runs in real-time (at 30 fps) so that the puppeteer and the audience can immediately see the animation that is created. Our system also supports a variety of constraints and effects including articulated characters, multi-track animation, scene changes, camera controls, 2 1/2-D environments, shadows, and animation cycles. Users have evaluated our system both quantitatively and qualitatively: In tests of low-level dexterity, our system has similar accuracy to a mouse interface. For simple story telling, users prefer our system over either a mouse interface or traditional puppetry. We demonstrate that even first-time users, including an eleven-year-old, can use our system to quickly turn an original story idea into an animation.
Laughing out loud
Authors: DiLorenzo Paul C. , Zordan Victor B. , Sanders Benjamin L.
Published: December 2008

We present a novel technique for generating animation of laughter for a character. Our approach utilizes an anatomically inspired, physics-based model of a human torso that includes a mix of rigid-body and deformable components and is driven by Hill-type muscles. We propose a hierarchical control method which synthesizes laughter from a simple set of input signals. In addition, we present a method for automatically creating an animation from a soundtrack of an individual laughing. We show examples of laugh animations generated by hand-selected input parameters and by our audio-driven optimization approach. We also include results for other behaviors, such as coughing and a sneeze, created using the same model. These animations demonstrate the range of possible motions that can be generated using the proposed system. We compare our technique with both data-driven and procedural animations of laughter.
Automated reprojection-based pixel shader optimization
Authors: Sitthi-amorn Pitchaya , Lawrence Jason , Yang Lei , Sander Pedro V. , Nehab Diego , Xi Jiahe
Published: December 2008

We present a framework and supporting algorithms to automate the use of temporal data reprojection as a general tool for optimizing procedural shaders. Although the general strategy of caching and reusing expensive intermediate shading calculations across consecutive frames has previously been shown to provide an effective trade-off between speed and accuracy, the critical choices of what to reuse and at what rate to refresh cached entries have been left to a designer. The fact that these decisions require a deep understanding of a procedure's semantic structure makes it challenging to select optimal candidates among possibly hundreds of alternatives. Our automated approach relies on parametric models of the way possible caching decisions affect the shader's performance and visual fidelity. These models are trained using a sample rendering session and drive an interactive profiler in which the user can explore the error/performance trade-offs associated with incorporating temporal reprojection. We evaluate the proposed models and selection algorithm with a prototype system used to optimize several complex shaders and compare our approach to current alternatives.
Imperfect shadow maps for efficient computation of indirect illumination
Authors: Ritschel T. , Grosch T. , Kim M. H. , Seidel H.-P. , Dachsbacher C. , Kautz J.
Published: December 2008

We present a method for interactive computation of indirect illumination in large and fully dynamic scenes based on approximate visibility queries. While the high-frequency nature of direct lighting requires accurate visibility, indirect illumination mostly consists of smooth gradations, which tend to mask errors due to incorrect visibility. We exploit this by approximating visibility for indirect illumination withimperfect shadow maps---low-resolution shadow maps rendered from a crude point-based representation of the scene. These are used in conjunction with a global illumination algorithm based on virtual point lights enabling indirect illumination of dynamic scenes at real-time frame rates. We demonstrate that imperfect shadow maps are a valid approximation to visibility, which makes the simulation of global illumination an order of magnitude faster than using accurate visibility.
Texture amendment
Authors: Tai Yu-Wing , Brown Michael S. , Tang Chi-Keung , Shum Heung-Yeung
Published: December 2008

Constrained parameterization is an effective way to establish texture coordinates between a 3D surface and an existing image or photograph. A known drawback to constrained parameterization is visual distortion that arises when the 3D geometry is mismatched to highly textured image regions. This paper introduces an approach to reduce visual distortion by expanding image regions via texture synthesis to better fit the 3D geometry. The result is a new
amended texture
that maintains the essence of the input texture image but exhibits significantly less distortion when mapped onto the 3D model.
Efficient traversal of mesh edges using adjacency primitives
Authors: Sander Pedro V. , Nehab Diego , Chlamtac Eden , Hoppe Hugues
Published: December 2008

Processing of mesh edges lies at the core of many advanced realtime rendering techniques, ranging from shadow and silhouette computations, to motion blur and fur rendering. We present a scheme for efficient traversal of mesh edges that builds on the adjacency primitives and programmable geometry shaders introduced in recent graphics hardware. Our scheme aims to minimize the number of primitives while maximizing SIMD parallelism. These objectives reduce to a set of discrete optimization problems on the dual graph of the mesh, and we develop practical solutions to these graph problems. In addition, we extend two existing vertex cache optimization algorithms to produce cache-efficient traversal orderings for adjacency primitives. We demonstrate significant runtime speedups for several practical real-time rendering algorithms.
Randomized cuts for 3D mesh analysis
Authors: Golovinskiy Aleksey , Funkhouser Thomas
Published: December 2008

The goal of this paper is to investigate a new shape analysis method based on randomized cuts of 3D surface meshes. The general strategy is to generate a random set of mesh segmentations and then to measure how often each edge of the mesh lies on a segmentation boundary in the randomized set. The resulting "partition function" defined on edges provides a continuous measure of where natural part boundaries occur in a mesh, and the set of "most consistent cuts" provides a stable list of global shape features. The paper describes methods for generating random distributions of mesh segmentations, studies sensitivity of the resulting partition functions to noise, tessellation, pose, and intra-class shape variations, and investigates applications in mesh visualization, segmentation, deformation, and registration.
Quadrilateral mesh simplification
Authors: Daniels Joel , Silva Cláudio T. , Shepherd Jason , Cohen Elaine
Published: December 2008

We introduce a simplification algorithm for meshes composed of quadrilateral elements. It is reminiscent of edge-collapse based methods for triangle meshes, but takes a novel approach to the challenging problem of maintaining the quadrilateral connectivity during level-of-detail creation. The method consists of a set of unit operations applied to the dual of the mesh, each designed to improve mesh structure and maintain topological genus. Geometric shape is maintained by an extension of a quadric error metric to quad meshes. The technique is straightforward to implement and efficient enough to be applied to real-world models. Our technique can handle models with sharp features, and can be used to re-mesh general polygonal, i.e. tri- and quad-dominant, meshes into quadonly meshes.
VirtualStudio2Go
Authors: Grundhöfer Anselm , Bimber Oliver
Published: December 2008

We synchronize film cameras and LED lighting with off-the-shelf video projectors. Radiometric compensation allows displaying keying patterns and other spatial codes on arbitrary real world surfaces. A fast temporal multiplexing of coded projection and flash illumination enables professional keying, environment matting, displaying moderator information, scene reconstruction, and camera tracking for non-studio film sets without being limited to the constraints of a virtual studio. This makes digital video composition more flexible, since static studio equipment, such as blue screens, teleprompters, or tracking devices, is not required. Authentic film locations can be supported with our portable system without causing a lot of installation effort.
Image-based façade modeling
Authors: Xiao Jianxiong , Fang Tian , Tan Ping , Zhao Peng , Ofek Eyal , Quan Long
Published: December 2008

We propose in this paper a semi-automatic image-based approach to façade modeling that uses images captured along streets and relies on structure from motion to recover camera positions and point clouds automatically as the initial stage for modeling. We start by considering a building façade as a flat rectangular plane or a developable surface with an associated texture image composited from the multiple visible images. A façade is then decomposed and structured into a Directed Acyclic Graph of rectilinear elementary patches. The decomposition is carried out top-down by a recursive subdivision, and followed by a bottom-up merging with the detection of the architectural bilateral symmetry and repetitive patterns. Each subdivided patch of the flat façade is augmented with a depth optimized using the 3D points cloud. Our system also allows for an easy user feedback in the 2D image space for the proposed decomposition and augmentation. Finally, our approach is demonstrated on a large number of façades from a variety of street-side images.
Staggered projections for frictional contact in multibody systems
Authors: Kaufman Danny M. , Sueda Shinjiro , James Doug L. , Pai Dinesh K.
Published: December 2008

We present a new discrete velocity-level formulation of frictional contact dynamics that reduces to a pair of coupled projections and introduce a simple fixed-point property of this coupled system. This allows us to construct a novel algorithm for accurate frictional contact resolution based on a simple staggered sequence of projections. The algorithm accelerates performance using warm starts to leverage the potentially high temporal coherence between contact states and provides users with direct control over frictional accuracy. Applying this algorithm to rigid and deformable systems, we obtain robust and accurate simulations of frictional contact behavior not previously possible, at rates suitable for interactive haptic simulations, as well as large-scale animations. By construction, the proposed algorithm guarantees exact, velocity-level contact constraint enforcement and obtains long-term stable and robust integration. Examples are given to illustrate the performance, plausibility and accuracy of the obtained solutions.
Touching the future
Authors: Selker Ted
Published: December 2008

In combination with finger and hand gestures, multitouch input is enabling users to manipulate and display information in innovative and unprecedented ways
.
Invisible watermarking based on creation and robust insertion-extraction of image adaptive watermarks
Authors: Mohanty Saraju P. , Bhargava Bharat K.
Published: December 2008

This article presents a novel invisible robust watermarking scheme for embedding and extracting a digital watermark in an image. The novelty lies in determining a perceptually important subimage in the host image. Invisible insertion of the watermark is performed in the most significant region of the host image such that tampering of that portion with an intention to remove or destroy will degrade the esthetic quality and value of the image. One feature of the algorithm is that this subimage is used as a region of interest for the watermarking process and eliminates the chance of watermark removal. Another feature of the algorithm is the creation of a compound watermark using the input user watermark (logo) and attributes of the host image. This facilitates the homogeneous fusion of a watermark with the cover image, preserves the quality of the host image, and allows robust insertion-extraction. Watermark creation consists of two distinct phases. During the first phase, a statistical image is synthesized from a perceptually important subimage of the image. A compound watermark is created by embedding a watermark (logo) into the statistical synthetic image by using a visible watermarking technique. This compound watermark is invisibly embedded into the important block of the host image. The authentication process involves extraction of the perceptive logo as well statistical testing for two-layer evidence. Results of the experimentation using standard benchmarks demonstrates the robustness and efficacy of the proposed watermarking approach. Ownership proof could be established under various hostile attacks.
A criterion-based multilayer access control approach for multimedia applications and the implementation considerations
Authors: Pan Leon , Zhang Chang N.
Published: December 2008

In this article, a novel criterion-based multilayer access control (CBMAC) approach is presented to enhance existing access control models such as Role-Based, Mandatory, and Discretionary Access Control models to support multilayer (multilevel) access control. The proposed approach is based on a set of predefined security criteria which are extracted from authorization rules. The security attributes of objects and users are specified by security criterion expressions (serving as locks) and the elements (serving as keys) of security criterion subsets respectively. An object embedded with a number of security criterion expressions becomes a secure object while a user associated with a security criterion subset is called a secure user. The multilayer access control is achieved by evaluating the embedded security criterion expressions (actuating locks) by the elements (keys) in a user's security criterion subset. The paper also provides the details of integrating the proposed approach with existing access control models and presents the implementation considerations of Criterion-Based Role-Based Multilayer Access Control, the integration of CBMAC and Role-Based Access Control.
Comparative evaluation of memory models for chip multiprocessors
Authors: Leverich Jacob , Arakida Hideho , Solomatnikov Alex , Firoozshahian Amin , Horowitz Mark , Kozyrakis Christos
Published: December 2008

There are two competing models for the on-chip memory in Chip Multiprocessor (CMP) systems:
hardware-managed coherent caches
and
software-managed streaming memory
. This paper performs a direct comparison of the two models under the same set of assumptions about technology, area, and computational capabilities. The goal is to quantify how and when they differ in terms of performance, energy consumption, bandwidth requirements, and latency tolerance for general-purpose CMPs. We demonstrate that for data-parallel applications on systems with up to 16 cores, the cache-based and streaming models perform and scale equally well. For certain applications with little data reuse, streaming scales better due to better bandwidth use and macroscopic software prefetching. However, the introduction of techniques such as hardware prefetching and nonallocating stores to the cache-based model eliminates the streaming advantage. Overall, our results indicate that there is not sufficient advantage in building streaming memory systems where all on-chip memory structures are explicitly managed. On the other hand, we show that streaming at the programming model level is particularly beneficial, even with the cache-based model, as it enhances locality and creates opportunities for bandwidth optimizations. Moreover, we observe that stream programming is actually easier with the cache-based model because the hardware guarantees correct, best-effort execution even when the programmer cannot fully regularize an application's code.
The Claremont report on database research
Authors: Agrawal Rakesh , Ailamaki Anastasia , Bernstein Philip A. , Brewer Eric A. , Carey Michael J. , Chaudhuri Surajit , Doan AnHai , Florescu Daniela , Franklin Michael J. , Garcia-Molina Hector , Gehrke Johannes , Gruenwald Le , Haas Laura M. , Halevy Alon Y. , Hellerstein Joseph M. , Ioannidis Yannis E. , Korth Hank F. , Kossmann Donald , Madden Samuel , Magoulas Roger , Ooi Beng Chin , O'Reilly Tim , Ramakrishnan Raghu , Sarawagi Sunita , Stonebraker Michael , Szalay Alexander S. , Weikum Gerhard
Published: December 2008

In late May, 2008, a group of database researchers, architects, users and pundits met at the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, California to discuss the state of the research field and its impacts on practice. This was the seventh meeting of this sort in twenty years, and was distinguished by a broad consensus that we are at a turning point in the history of the field, due both to an explosion of data and usage scenarios, and to major shifts in computing hardware and platforms. Given these forces, we are at a time of opportunity for research impact, with an unusually large potential for influential results across computing, the sciences and society. This report details that discussion, and highlights the group's consensus view of new focus areas, including new database engine architectures, declarative programming languages, the interplay of structured and unstructured data, cloud data services, and mobile and virtual worlds. We also report on discussions of the community's growth, including suggestions for changes in community processes to move the research agenda forward, and to enhance impact on a broader audience.
Null values in SQL
Authors: Grant John
Published: December 2008

In various writings over the past 20 years, such as [3], Date has pointed out that SQL produces incorrect answers to some queries where a null value is included in a table. In a recent article in the ACM SIGMOD Record, [8], Rubinson states that "Date misinterprets the meaning of his example query" and "SQL returns the correct answer to the query posed". The purpose of this article is to show that, contrary to Rubinson's claim, Date's critique of query evaluation in the presence of null values in SQL is completely justified.
Cell confluency-induced Stat3 activation regulates NHE3 expression by recruiting Sp1 and Sp3 to the proximal NHE3 promoter region during epithelial dome formation
Authors: Su Hsiao-Wen , Wang Shainn-Wei , Ghishan Fayez K. , Kiela Pawel R. , Tang Ming-Jer
Published: December 2008

Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (Stat3) during cell confluency is related to its regulatory roles in cell growth arrest- or survival-related physiological or developmental processes. We previously demonstrated that this signaling event triggers epithelial dome formation by transcriptional augmentation of sodium hydrogen exchanger-3 (NHE3) expression. However, the detailed molecular mechanism remained unclear. By using serial deletions, site-directed mutagenesis, and EMSA analysis, we now demonstrate Stat3 binding to an atypical Stat3-response element in the rat proximal NHE3 promoter, located adjacent to a cluster of Sp cis-elements (SpA/B/C), within −77/−36 nt of the gene. SpB (−58/−55 nt) site was more effective than SpA (−72/−69 nt) site for cooperative binding of Sp1/Sp3. Increasing cell density had no effect on Sp1/Sp3 expression but resulted in their increased binding to the SpA/B/C probe along with Stat3 and concurrently with enhanced nuclear pTyr705-Stat3 level. Immunoprecipitation performed with the nuclear extracts demonstrated physical interaction of Stat3 and Sp1/Sp3 triggered by cell confluency. Stat3 inhibition by overexpression of dominant-negative Stat3-D mutant in MDCK cells or by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown in Caco-2 cells resulted in inhibition of the cell density-induced NHE3 expression, Sp1/Sp3 binding, and NHE3 promoter activity and in decreased dome formation. Thus, during confluency, ligand-independent Stat3 activation leads to its interaction with Sp1/Sp3, their recruitment to the SpA/B/C cluster in a Stat3 DNA-binding domain-dependent fashion, increased transcription, and expression of NHE3, to coordinate cell density-mediated epithelial dome formation.