bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TiO2 membrane high-contrast grating reflectors for vertical-cavity light-emitters in the visible wavelength regime
Authors: Hashemi Ehsan , Bengtsson Jörgen , Gustavsson Johan S. , Carlsson Stefan , Rossbach Georg , Haglund Åsa
Published: August 2015

In this work, the authors describe a novel route to achieve a high reflectivity, wide bandwidth feedback mirror for GaN-based vertical-cavity light emitters; using air-suspended high contrast gratings in TiO2, with SiO2 as a sacrificial layer. The TiO2 film deposition and the etching processes are developed to yield grating bars without bending, and with near-ideal rectangular cross-sections. Measured optical reflectivity spectra of the fabricated high contrast gratings show very good agreement with simulations, with a high reflectivity of >95% over a 25 nm wavelength span centered around 435 nm for the transverse-magnetic polarization.
Automated quantitative 3D analysis of aorta size, morphology, and mural calcification distributions
Authors: Kurugol Sila , Come Carolyn E. , Diaz Alejandro A. , Ross James C. , Kinney Greg L. , Black‐Shinn Jennifer L. , Hokanson John E. , Budoff Matthew J. , Washko George R. , San Jose Estepar Raul
Published: August 2015

Purpose:

The purpose of this work is to develop a fully automated pipeline to compute aorta morphology and calcification measures in large cohorts of CT scans that can be used to investigate the potential of these measures as imaging biomarkers of cardiovascular disease.

Methods:

The first step of the automated pipeline is aorta segmentation. The algorithm the authors propose first detects an initial aorta boundary by exploiting cross‐sectional circularity of aorta in axial slices and aortic arch in reformatted oblique slices. This boundary is then refined by a 3D level‐set segmentation that evolves the boundary to the location of nearby edges. The authors then detect the aortic calcifications with thresholding and filter out the false positive regions due to nearby high intensity structures based on their anatomical location. The authors extract the centerline and oblique cross sections of the segmented aortas and compute the aorta morphology and calcification measures of the first 2500 subjects from COPDGene study. These measures include volume and number of calcified plaques and measures of vessel morphology such as average cross‐sectional area, tortuosity, and arch width.

Results:

The authors computed the agreement between the algorithm and expert segmentations on 45 CT scans and obtained a closest point mean error of 0.62 ± 0.09 mm and a Dice coefficient of 0.92 ± 0.01. The calcification detection algorithm resulted in an improved true positive detection rate of 0.96 compared to previous work. The measurements of aorta size agreed with the measurements reported in previous work. The initial results showed associations of aorta morphology with calcification and with aging. These results may indicate aorta stiffening and unwrapping with calcification and aging.

Conclusions:

The authors have developed an objective tool to assess aorta morphology and aortic calcium plaques on CT scans that may be used to provide information about the presence of cardiovascular disease and its clinical impact in smokers.
Local curvature analysis for classifying breast tumors: Preliminary analysis in dedicated breast CT
Authors: Lee Juhun , Nishikawa Robert M. , Reiser Ingrid , Boone John M. , Lindfors Karen K.
Published: August 2015

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to measure the effectiveness of local curvature measures as novel image features for classifying breast tumors.

Methods:

A total of 119 breast lesions from 104 noncontrast dedicated breast computed tomography images of women were used in this study. Volumetric segmentation was done using a seed‐based segmentation algorithm and then a triangulated surface was extracted from the resulting segmentation. Total, mean, and Gaussian curvatures were then computed. Normalized curvatures were used as classification features. In addition, traditional image features were also extracted and a forward feature selection scheme was used to select the optimal feature set. Logistic regression was used as a classifier and leave‐one‐out cross‐validation was utilized to evaluate the classification performances of the features. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, area under curve) was used as a figure of merit.

Results:

Among curvature measures, the normalized total curvature (CT) showed the best classification performance (AUC of 0.74), while the others showed no classification power individually. Five traditional image features (two shape, two margin, and one texture descriptors) were selected via the feature selection scheme and its resulting classifier achieved an AUC of 0.83. Among those five features, the radial gradient index (RGI), which is a margin descriptor, showed the best classification performance (AUC of 0.73). A classifier combining RGI and CT yielded an AUC of 0.81, which showed similar performance (i.e., no statistically significant difference) to the classifier with the above five traditional image features. Additional comparisons in AUC values between classifiers using different combinations of traditional image features and CT were conducted. The results showed that CT was able to replace the other four image features for the classification task.

Conclusions:

The normalized curvature measure contains useful information in classifying breast tumors. Using this, one can reduce the number of features in a classifier, which may result in more robust classifiers for different datasets.
Effective biosonar echo-to-clutter rejection ratio in a complex dynamic scene
Authors: Knowles Jeffrey M. , Barchi Jonathan R. , Gaudette Jason E. , Simmons James A.
Published: August 2015

Biosonar guidance in a rapidly changing complex scene was examined by flying big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) through a Y-shaped maze composed of rows of strongly reflective vertical plastic chains that presented the bat with left and right corridors for passage. Corridors were 80–100 cm wide and 2–4 m long. Using the two-choice Y-shaped paradigm to compensate for left–right bias and spatial memory, a moveable, weakly reflective thin-net barrier randomly blocked the left or right corridor, interspersed with no-barrier trials. Flight path and beam aim were tracked using an array of 24 microphones surrounding the flight room. Each bat flew on a path centered in the entry corridor (base of Y) and then turned into the left or right passage, to land on the far wall or to turn abruptly, reacting to avoid a collision. Broadcasts were broadly beamed in the direction of flight, smoothly leading into an upcoming turn. Duration of broadcasts decreased slowly from 3 to 2 ms during flights to track the chains' progressively closer ranges. Broadcast features and flight velocity changed abruptly about 1 m from the barrier, indicating that echoes from the net were perceived even though they were 18–35 dB weaker than overlapping echoes from surrounding chains.
Numerical analysis of soil deformation behind the reaction wall of an open caisson induced by horizontal parallel pipe-jacking construction
Authors: Sun Yang , Su Jing-bo , Xia Xiao-he , Xu Zheng-liang
Published: August 2015

The disturbance of the soil behind the reaction wall of an open caisson can affect the efficiency and safety of jacking operation and control. This study focuses on the deformation of the soil mass behind the reaction wall used to support the jack. The stress–strain relationship of the soil behind the reaction wall was analysed, providing a theoretical basis for determining the most unfavourable combination of reactive forces using a computational model. A three-dimensional finite element model for this problem was developed, and a simple loading scenario was implemented. In addition, the mechanism of the deformation of the soil induced by horizontal parallel pipe jacking was also analysed. The results showed that for the soil behind the reaction wall of the open caisson, the uplift deformation of the soil surface increased initially and later gradually decreased, eventually achieving stability. The reaction force had a relatively obvious effect on the deformation of the soil within the range of the reaction wall burial depth and the horizontal displacement of the soil along the length of the reaction wall. The maximum displacement occurred near the axis of symmetry of the reaction wall. In addition, to consider the cyclic characteristics of the reaction force, the shakedown theorem is introduced to the deformation analysis of the soil and compared with the results obtained from simple loading. It was shown that the two deformation analysis methods have certain scopes of application, depending on the individual engineering requirements.
Carbon impacts of hardwood lumber processing in the northeastern United States
Authors: Saud Pradip , Wang Jingxin , Sharma Benktesh D. , Liu Weiguo
Published: August 2015

Carbon emission from hardwood lumber processing in different-sized sawmills under varying energy sources, management strategies, and potential carbon offsetting capacity through useful life (service life) of lumber in the northeastern United States was analyzed using analytical statistics such as analysis of variance (ANOVA), mixed-effect model, principal component analysis, and Monte Carlo simulation. Data obtained from a regional sawmill survey (Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia), energy audit of sawmills, public databases, and relevant literature were analyzed for the gate-to-gate life cycle inventory framework. Results showed that mean carbon emission (megagrams (Mg) per thousand cubic metres (TCM)) for lumber processing significantly differs among sawmill sizes. The total carbon emission from electricity consumption and wood residue of lumber processing was approximately 62.5%, 80.3%, and 66.2% of carbon stored in lumber processed for small, medium, and large sawmills, respectively. Efficient management and potential opportunities of improvement in sawmills can significantly reduce carbon emission (10.96% ± 1.57%) from hardwood lumber processing. Carbon stock from lumber production could be enhanced by either reducing carbon emission from energy consumption or decreasing lumber export quantity. The carbon emission–loss ratio (CELR) suggested that after 100 years, nearly 50% of carbon stored in lumber would be still available for carbon accountability. Electricity generation from either a single resource (natural gas) or mixed resources as is the case in RFC EAST (eGrid subregion) would be beneficial in lowering carbon emission from sawmill processing.
Extreme climate conditions limit seed availability to successfully attain natural regeneration of Pinus pinaster in sandy areas of central Spain
Authors: Ruano Irene , Manso Rubén , Fortin Mathieu , Bravo Felipe
Published: August 2015

Natural regeneration comprises different subprocesses, each of them driven by specific climatic and stand-related factors, which determine the success of natural regeneration. The objective of this study was to investigate the seed availability of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton). To meet this objective, seed rain was monitored for four different levels of stand density at the experimental site of Cuéllar, Spain, during a 10-year period. A generalized linear mixed-effects model was fitted to test the effects of climatic variables and stand density on the annual seed production and seed rain. The climatic covariates were chosen among those that are thought to affect the key physiological phases governing these subprocesses: minimum temperature in October 2 years before dispersal (cone growing), April precipitation 1 year before dispersal (cone growing), and October–November precipitation 1 year before dispersal (cone maturation). No climate variable related to flowering or seed rain process was significant. Moreover, stand density was considered through a spatially explicit index called the seed-source index. Primary cone growth was limited by extreme cold events. Absence of precipitation limits secondary growth and hinders final cone ripening. It turns out that seed production and seed rain may be a bottleneck for natural regeneration of P. pinaster under low stand densities, especially under extreme climatic scenarios.
Effect of heated wall position on heat transfer and entropy generation of Cu–water nanofluid flow in an open cavity
Authors: Mehrez Zouhaier , Cafsi Afif El , Belghith Ali , Quéré Patrick Le
Published: August 2015

This paper reports the numerical results of the mixed convection and entropy generation of Cu–water nanofluid flow in an open cavity heated from different sides with non-uniform temperature distribution. The finite volume method is used to solve the governing equations. The analysis is carried out by a range of Richardson numbers, 0.01 ≤ Ri ≤ 10, at a nanoparticle volume fraction of 0 ≤ [Formula: see text] ≤ 0.1, and Reynolds number Re = 200, with a cavity aspect ratio of L/H = 2. Three heating modes are considered: (A) the left wall is heated (inflow side, assisting flow); (B) the horizontal bottom wall is heated; and (C) the right wall is heated (outflow side, opposing flow). The results show that the heat transfer and the entropy generation increase with increasing Richardson number and nanoparticle volume fraction. The highest heat transfer and entropy generation are obtained with heating mode C (opposing flow). The contribution of heat transfer and fluid friction irreversibilities in the entropy generation depends on Richardson number and the heater position. The present investigation shows that the configuration with non-isothermal heater located at the bottom wall (B) has the highest performance in terms of heat transfer enhancement with minimum entropy generation.
Theoretical calculation of the electronic states below 326 000 cm−1 of the NaHe molecule
Authors: Kontar S. , Korek M.
Published: August 2015

The potential energy curves have been investigated for the lowest 54 electronic states in the [Formula: see text] representation of the molecule NaHe via the multireference configuration interaction method (MRCI) and second-order multireference perturbation theory (RPST2-RS2). The harmonic vibrational frequency, ωe, the internuclear distance, Re, the electronic energy with respect to the ground state, Te, and the permanent dipole moment, μ, have been calculated. The positions of Rmin and Rmax and their minimum and maximum energies Emin and Emax with respect to the dissociation asymptote have been determined for the considered electronic states. The comparison of our investigated values to the theoretical and experimental data available in the literature shows a good agreement. Forty-three electronic states have been studied theoretically in the present work for the first time.
Generalized spectral radius and norm inequalities for Hilbert space operators
Authors: Abu-Omar Amer , Kittaneh Fuad
Published: August 2015

We apply spectral radius and norm inequalities to certain [Formula: see text] operator matrices to give simple proofs, refinements and generalizations of known norm inequalities. New norm inequalities are also given. Our analysis uncovers the interplay between different spectral radius and norm inequalities.
Modified interaction radius and touching spheres schemes for the determination of impact parameter in Coulomb excitation experiments
Authors: Kumar Rajiv , Singh Pardeep , Kharab Rajesh
Published: August 2015

The parametrization schemes based on interaction radius and touching spheres (ts) commonly used for the determination of minimum value of impact parameter [Formula: see text] in the above barrier Coulomb excitation experiments are modified by incorporating an energy-dependent term. The modification leads to about 13% improvement in the value of [Formula: see text] for a variety of projectile target combinations at above Coulomb barrier incident energies.
Generating Einstein gravity, cosmological constant and Higgs mass from restricted Weyl invariance
Authors: Edery Ariel , Nakayama Yu
Published: August 2015

Recently, it has been pointed out that dimensionless actions in four-dimensional curved spacetime possess a symmetry which goes beyond scale invariance but is smaller than full Weyl invariance. This symmetry was dubbed restricted Weyl invariance. We show that starting with a restricted Weyl invariant action that includes a Higgs sector with no explicit mass, one can generate the Einstein–Hilbert action with cosmological constant and a Higgs mass. The model also contains an extra massless scalar field which couples to the Higgs field (and gravity). If the coupling of this extra scalar field to the Higgs field is negligibly small, this fixes the coefficient of the nonminimal coupling [Formula: see text] between the Higgs field and gravity. Besides the Higgs sector, all the other fields of the Standard Model can be incorporated into the original restricted Weyl invariant action.
Cu-induced spin polarization in tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum
Authors: Yuan Huimin , Wang Fenggong , Jiang Feng , Xie Wanfeng , Zhang Xijian , Pang Zhiyong , Han Shenghao
Published: August 2015

Cu-induced spin polarization in tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum [Formula: see text] has been studied by first-principles calculation. The entanglement between an electron transfer from Cu to [Formula: see text] and a structural distortion of the [Formula: see text] molecule gives rise to a strong spin polarization in this originally nonmagnetic molecule [Formula: see text]. The calculated total magnetic moment mainly resides on the [Formula: see text] molecule [Formula: see text], while that on Cu is moderate [Formula: see text]. The finding of a spin polarization induced by the nonmagnetic element Cu is helpful for understanding of spin-related phenomenon in [Formula: see text] and potentially enabling future magnetic-metal-free organic spintronics.
Investigations of the EPR g factors for tetragonal copper site in Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox
Authors: Dong Hui-Ning , Liu Xu-Sheng , Zhou Hong-Fei
Published: August 2015

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) [Formula: see text] factors are quantitatively investigated for tetragonal [Formula: see text] site in [Formula: see text] by utilizing the perturbation formulas of the [Formula: see text] factors for a tetragonally elongated octahedral [Formula: see text] cluster from the cluster approach. The anisotropy of the [Formula: see text] factors is discussed from the local tetragonal elongation of this five-fold coordinated copper site. The present EPR analysis for this precursor of Hg-1223 superconductors can be useful to the understandings of the relationships between the local structure (significant elongation of the copper site) and the intense Cu–O orbital hybridization and hence the high [Formula: see text] of the Hg-1223 systems.
Helicity-dependent reaction γd → π0d near the η-threshold and its contribution to the E-asymmetry and the GDH sum rule for the deuteron
Authors: Darwish Eed M. , Hemmdan A. , El-Shamy N. T.
Published: August 2015

The helicity-dependent coherent π0-photoproduction in the reaction γd → π0d near the η-threshold is investigated. The calculations are performed within an approach which includes the reaction amplitudes of the impulse approximation (IA), two-step process with intermediate πN- and ηN-rescattering, and the higher order terms in the multiple scattering series for the intermediate ηNN interaction. The contribution of γd → π0d to the deuteron spin asymmetry is calculated and its contribution to the Gerasimov–Drell–Hearn (GDH) integral is explicitly evaluated by integration up to a photon energy of 900 MeV. In addition, the helicity E-asymmetry is calculated. The results revealed that the doubly polarized differential cross-sections and the helicity E-asymmetry are sensitive to the interference of rescattering effects, specially at photon energies 600–800 MeV and extreme backward pion angles. The sensitivity of the obtained results for the GDH integral to the choice of NN potential model governing the deuteron wave function is discussed. We find that the deviation among results obtained for the deuteron GDH integral using different deuteron wave functions is quite large.
THE 3/2 MODEL AS A STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY APPROXIMATION FOR A LARGE-BASKET PRICE-WEIGHTED INDEX
Authors: HAMBLY BEN , VAICENAVICIUS JUOZAS
Published: August 2015

We derive large-basket approximations of a price-weighted index whose component prices follow a single sector jump-diffusion model. As the basket size approaches infinity, a suitable average converges to a Black–Scholes model driven by the common factor process. We extend this by considering the behavior of the residual idiosyncratic noise and show that a version of the 3/2 model emerges as a natural stochastic volatility model approximation. This provides a theoretical justification for its use as a model for jointly pricing index and volatility derivatives.
Constructing ordered orthogonal arrays via sudoku
Authors: Lorch John
Published: August 2015

For prime powers [Formula: see text] we use “strongly orthogonal” linear sudoku solutions of order [Formula: see text] to construct ordered orthogonal arrays of type [Formula: see text], and for each [Formula: see text] we present a range of values of [Formula: see text] for which these constructions are valid. These results rely strongly on flags of subspaces in a four-dimensional vector space over a finite field.
SAMSVM: A tool for misalignment filtration of SAM-format sequences with support vector machine
Authors: Yang Jianfeng , Ding Xiaofan , Sun Xing , Tsang Shui-Ying , Xue Hong
Published: August 2015

Sequence alignment/map (SAM) formatted sequences [Li H, Handsaker B, Wysoker A et al., Bioinformatics 25(16):2078–2079, 2009.] have taken on a main role in bioinformatics since the development of massive parallel sequencing. However, because misalignment of sequences poses a significant problem in analysis of sequencing data that could lead to false positives in variant calling, the exclusion of misaligned reads is a necessity in analysis. In this regard, the multiple features of SAM-formatted sequences can be treated as vectors in a multi-dimension space to allow the application of a support vector machine (SVM). Applying the LIBSVM tools developed by Chang and Lin [Chang C-C, Lin C-J, ACM Trans Intell Syst Technol 2:1–27, 2011.] as a simple interface for support vector classification, the SAMSVM package has been developed in this study to enable misalignment filtration of SAM-formatted sequences. Cross-validation between two simulated datasets processed with SAMSVM yielded accuracies that ranged from 0.89 to 0.97 with F-scores ranging from 0.77 to 0.94 in 14 groups characterized by different mutation rates from 0.001 to 0.1, indicating that the model built using SAMSVM was accurate in misalignment detection. Application of SAMSVM to actual sequencing data resulted in filtration of misaligned reads and correction of variant calling.
On the Erdős–Ginzburg–Ziv constant of groups of the form C2r ⊕ Cn
Authors: Fan Yushuang , Zhong Qinghai
Published: August 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite abelian group. The Erdős–Ginzburg–Ziv constant [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is defined as the smallest integer [Formula: see text] such that every sequence [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text] of length [Formula: see text] has a zero-sum subsequence [Formula: see text] of length [Formula: see text]. The value of this classical invariant for groups with rank at most two is known. But the precise value of [Formula: see text] for the groups of rank larger than two is difficult to determine. In this paper, we pay attention to the groups of the form [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We give a new upper bound of [Formula: see text] for odd integer [Formula: see text]. For [Formula: see text], we obtain that [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text].
Long unsplittable zero-sum sequences over a finite cyclic group
Authors: Yuan Pingzhi , Li Yuanlin
Published: August 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be an additively written finite cyclic group of order [Formula: see text] and let [Formula: see text] be a minimal zero-sum sequence with elements of [Formula: see text], i.e. the sum of elements of [Formula: see text] is zero, but no proper nontrivial subsequence of [Formula: see text] has sum zero. [Formula: see text] is called unsplittable if there do not exist an element [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] and two elements [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] and the new sequence [Formula: see text] is still a minimal zero-sum sequence. In this paper, we investigate long unsplittable minimal zero-sum sequences over [Formula: see text]. Our main result characterizes the structures of all such sequences [Formula: see text] and shows that the index of [Formula: see text] is at most 2, provided that the length of [Formula: see text] is greater than or equal to [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is a positive integer with least prime divisor greater than [Formula: see text].
Arithmetic identities and congruences for partition triples with 3-cores
Authors: Wang Liuquan
Published: August 2015

Let [Formula: see text] denote the number of partition triples of [Formula: see text] where each partition is 3-core. With the help of generating function manipulations, we find several infinite families of arithmetic identities and congruences for [Formula: see text]. Moreover, let [Formula: see text] denote the number of representations of a non-negative integer [Formula: see text] in the form [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] We find three arithmetic relations between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], such as [Formula: see text].
Music genomics: Determining musical similarities with seriation algorithms
Authors: Mistry Nakhila , Arangala Crista
Published: August 2015

Music plays a prominent role in society and companies have even started studying its aspects for commercial purposes. It is only natural to ask what characteristics make certain songs appealing. While much research has been conducted on the mathematical principles of sound, there has been less focus on analyzing the structure of popular songs from a mathematical perspective. One mathematical tool that researchers have used to study musical structure is seriation, ordering. This paper applies several types of seriation algorithms to conduct a mathematical analysis of the structural qualities of several musical pieces. This paper focuses on 10 popular artists and their musical influences. The artists chosen for this research are linked because of the influences they cite, musical genre, and the popularity of their music. Results show that an artist’s songs have a higher quantitatively measured connection with the artists they cite as influences rather than the artists who they never mention as musical influences.
A Molecular Artisans Guide to Supramolecular Coordination Complexes and Metal Organic Frameworks
Authors: Wu Xialu , Young David J. , Hor T. S. Andy
Published: August 2015

As molecular synthesis advances, we are beginning to learn control of not only the chemical reactivity (and function) of molecules, but also of their interactions with other molecules. It is this basic idea that has led to the current explosion of supramolecular science and engineering. Parallel to this development, chemists have been actively pursuing the design of very large molecules using basic molecular building blocks. Herein, we review the general development of supramolecular chemistry and particularly of two new branches: supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs) and metal organic frameworks (MOFs). These two fields are discussed in detail with typical examples to illustrate what is now possible and what challenges lie ahead for tomorrow's molecular artisans.
Teaching Mathematical Reasoning Principles for Software Correctness and Its Assessment
Authors: Drachova Svetlana V. , Hallstrom Jason O. , Hollingsworth Joseph E. , Krone Joan , Pak Rich , Sitaraman Murali
Published: August 2015

Undergraduate computer science students need to learn analytical reasoning skills to develop high-quality software and to understand why the software they develop works as specified. To accomplish this central educational objective, this article describes a systematic process of introducing reasoning skills into the curriculum and assessing how well students have learned those skills. To facilitate assessment, a comprehensive inventory of principles for reasoning about correctness that captures the finer details of basic skills that students need to learn has been defined and used. The principles can be taught at various levels of depth across the curriculum in a variety of courses.

The use of a particular instructional process is illustrated to inculcate reasoning principles across several iterations of a sophomore-level development foundations course and a junior-level software engineering course. The article summarizes how learning outcomes motivated by the inventory of reasoning principles lead to questions that in turn form the basis for a careful analysis of student understanding and for fine-tuning teaching interventions that together facilitate continuous improvements to instruction.
Folk Dance Evaluation Using Laban Movement Analysis
Authors: Aristidou Andreas , Stavrakis Efstathios , Charalambous Panayiotis , Chrysanthou Yiorgos , Himona Stephania Loizidou
Published: August 2015

Motion capture (mocap) technology is an efficient method for digitizing art performances, and is becoming increasingly popular in the preservation and dissemination of dance performances. Although technically the captured data can be of very high quality, dancing allows stylistic variations and improvisations that cannot be easily identified. The majority of motion analysis algorithms are based on ad-hoc quantitative metrics, thus do not usually provide insights on style qualities of a performance. In this work, we present a framework based on the principles of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) that aims to identify style qualities in dance motions. The proposed algorithm uses a feature space that aims to capture the four LMA components (B
ody
, E
ffort
, S
hape
, S
pace
), and can be subsequently used for motion comparison and evaluation. We have designed and implemented a prototype virtual reality simulator for teaching folk dances in which users can preview dance segments performed by a 3D avatar and repeat them. The user’s movements are captured and compared to the folk dance template motions; then, intuitive feedback is provided to the user based on the LMA components. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our system, opening new horizons for automatic motion and dance evaluation processes.
Adaptive Sparse Representation for Analyzing Artistic Style of Paintings
Authors: Gao Zhi , Shan Mo , Li Qingquan
Published: August 2015

Inspired by the outstanding performance of sparse representation (SR) in a variety of image/video relevant classification and identification tasks, we propose an adaptive SR method for painting style analysis. Significantly improved over previous SR-based methods, which heavily rely on the comparison of query paintings, our method is able to authenticate or classify a single query painting based on the estimated decision boundary. Specifically, discriminative patches containing the most representative characteristics of the given samples are first extracted via exploiting the statistics of their representations on the discrete cosine transform (DCT) basis. Then, the strategy of adaptive sparsity constraint is enforced to make the dictionary trained on such patches more adaptive to the training samples than via previous SR techniques. Applying the learned dictionary, the query painting can be authenticated if both better denoising performance and higher kurtosis are obtained compared to the baseline estimated via applying the DCT basis; otherwise, it should be denied. Extensive experiments on our dataset comprised of paintings from van Gogh, his contemporaries, the Wacker forgery, and Monet demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
The ROV 3D Project
Authors: Drap Pierre , Seinturier Julien , Hijazi Bilal , Merad Djamal , Boi Jean-Marc , Chemisky Bertrand , Seguin Emmanuelle , Long Luc
Published: August 2015

In this article, we present an approach for a deep-sea survey based on photogrammetry using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). A hybrid technique gives us real-time results, sufficient for piloting the ROV from the surface vessel and ensuring a uniform coverage of the site, as well as recording high-definition images using an onboard computer that will later provide a survey with millimetric precision. The measurements are made without any contact and are noninvasive. The time required on-site is minimal and corresponds to the time needed by the ROV to cover the zone. With the photos taken at a frame rate synchronized at 10Hz, the ROV required 2 hours to perform the experiment presented in this article: the survey of the Roman shipwreck
Cap Bénat 4
, at a depth of 328m. The approach presented in this work was developed in the scope of the ROV 3D project. This project, financed by the Fond Unique Interministériel (FUI) for 3 years, brings together two industrial partners and a research laboratory. Companie Maritime d’Expertise (COMEX) coordinated this project.
Progressive Batch Medical Image Retrieval Processing in Mobile Wireless Networks
Authors: Zhuang Yi , Jiang Nan , Li Qing , Chen Lei , Ju Chunhua
Published: August 2015

This article addresses a multi-query optimization problem for distributed medical image retrieval in mobile wireless networks by exploiting the dependencies in the derivation of a retrieval evaluation plan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work investigating batch medical image retrieval (BMIR) processing in a mobile wireless network environment. Four steps are incorporated in our BMIR algorithm. First, when a number of retrieval requests (i.e.,
m
retrieval images and
m
radii) are simultaneously submitted by users, then a cost-based dynamic retrieval (
CDRS
) scheduling procedure is invoked to efficiently and effectively identify the correlation among the retrieval spheres (requests) based on a cost model. Next, an index-based image set reduction (
ISR
) is performed at the execution-node level in parallel. Then, a refinement processing of the candidate images is conducted to get the answers. Finally, at the transmission-node level, the corresponding image fragment (IF) replicas are chosen based on an adaptive multi-resolution (
AMR
)-based IF replicas selection scheme, and transmitted to the user-node level by a priority-based IF replicas transmission (
PIFT
) scheme. The experimental results validate the efficiency and effectiveness of the algorithm in minimizing the response time and increasing the parallelism of I/O and CPU.
Concurrent Dynamic Algebra
Authors: Furusawa Hitoshi , Struth Georg
Published: August 2015

We reconstruct Peleg’s concurrent dynamic logic in the context of modal Kleene algebras. We explore the algebraic structure of its multirelational semantics and develop an axiomatization of concurrent dynamic algebras from that basis. In this context, sequential composition is not associative. It interacts with parallel composition through a weak distributivity law. The modal operators of concurrent dynamic algebra are obtained from abstract axioms for domain and antidomain operators; the Kleene star is modelled as a least fixpoint. Algebraic variants of Peleg’s axioms are shown to be derivable in these algebras, and their soundness is proved relative to the multirelational model. Additional results include iteration principles for the Kleene star and a refutation of variants of Segerberg’s axiom in the multirelational setting. The most important results have been verified formally with Isabelle/HOL.
Review of "Pavel pech: selected topics in geometry with classical vs. computer proving by Pavel Pech", World Scientific 2007 ISBN-10: 981-270-942-8, ISBN-13: 978-981-270-942-4
Authors: Dana-Picard Thierry N.
Published: August 2015

Nowadays, the interplay between Geometry and Algebra is present almost everywhere. Classical theorems from Geometry may be revived with the usage of automatic theorem proving, based on Computer Algebra Systems and other technologies. Pech's book displays six stories about classical theorems, providing both a computer based proof and a classical one, making the reader acquainted with new methods of discovering and proving results together with leading the same reader to think about the inner beauty of classical ways of proving.
Abstracts of recent doctoral dissertations in computer algebra
Authors: Ziegler Konstantin
Published: August 2015

Each quarter we are pleased to present abstracts of recent doctoral dissertations in Computer Algebra and Symbolic Computation. We encourage all recent Ph.D. graduates who have defended in the past two years (and their supervisors), to submit their abstracts for publication in CCA. Please send abstracts to the CCA editors

for consideration.
Investigating accessibility on web-based maps
Authors: Medina Jonathas Leontino , Cagnin Maria Istela , Paiva Débora Maria Barroso
Published: August 2015

This paper presents results of an accessibility evaluation carried out with web-based map applications. Three points of view were considered: experts on accessibility, evaluation tools and final users (partially or totally blind people). The document WCAG 2.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) provided us with guidelines for evaluation and GQM (Goal, Question and Metric) approach was used to define and set measurable goals. A number of problems was identified and none of the evaluated applications entirely meet the analyzed criteria.
Rule-based machine learning classification and knowledge discovery for complex problems
Authors: Urbanowicz Ryan J.
Published: August 2015

Learning classifier systems (LCSs) are an advantageous, powerful, and flexible class of algorithms that have, to date, been underutilized largely due to the perception that they are difficult to apply, evaluate, and interpret. ExSTraCS is an
Ex
tended
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upervised
Tra
cking and
C
lassifying
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ystem based on the Michigan-Style LCS architecture [4]. It offers an accessible, user friendly LCS platform for supervised rule-based machine learning, classification, data mining, prediction, and knowledge discovery. ExSTraCS seeks to make no assumptions about the data, and is therefore model free and particularly well suited to complex problems that are multi-factorial, interacting (non-linear), heterogeneous, noisy, class imbalanced, multi-class, or larger-scale. ExSTraCS is written in Python, open source, well documented, and freely available at sourceforge.net.
Towards dynamic adaptation in broadcasting with hybrid rateless codes
Authors: Faneca Carlos , Vieira José , Zúquete André , Cano Julio , Moreira André , Almeida Luis
Published: August 2015

There are many situations, such as in training and education, in which there is a frequent need to distribute large files to many clients, e.g., operating system boot images or raw data files. To carry out such distribution efficiently, we use wireless broadcast and a hybrid coding technique that combines forward coding using weak LT Codes with a feedback phase at the end, which allows concluding the process faster with lower computing cost than traditional LT codes. However, for the sake of scalability, in the feedback phase a scheduler bounds the maximum number of clients that can communicate feedback in each given cycle and schedules them. Moreover, using a shorter or longer feedback phase also impacts on the number of simultaneous clients in feedback mode, resulting in more or less impact of the scheduler and more or less effectiveness of the feedback itself. In this short paper we briefly describe a recently developed prototype and we summarize some preliminary results confirming the advantage of using scheduled feedback. Moreover, we discuss the interplay between duration of the feedback phase and clients scheduling as a line for future research in scheduling-coding co-design.
A Roadmap for Evaluating Online Teaching
Authors: Jenkins Adam Wayne
Published: August 2015

Evaluating Online Teaching is not so much a "how-to" guide as it as a roadmap, guiding the reader through the complexities of creating or overhauling a faculty evaluation process. The book places heavy emphasis on contextual factors and is filled with real-world examples. Evaluating Online Teaching is a must-read for distance learning administrators tasked with faculty evaluations.
Determinants of Adherence with Malaria Chemoprophylactic Drugs Used in a Traveler’s Health Clinic
Authors: Shady Ibrahim
Published: August 2015

Background. The WHO recommends mefloquine, atovaquone/proguanil, and doxycycline for malaria chemoprophylaxis. Adherence to a drug is determined by many factors.Objective. To detect the determinants of travelers’ adherence to malaria chemoprophylaxis.Methods. A prospective comparative study was conducted from January 2012 to July 2013 that included travelers (928 travelers) to malaria endemic countries who visited the THC. They were classified into 3 groups: the 1st is the mefloquine group (396 travelers), the 2nd is the doxycycline group (370 travelers), and finally those who did not receive any drugs (162 travelers). The participants from the 1st and 2nd groups enrolled in the study.Results. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The predictors for adherence in the mefloquine group were travel to an African destination [OR = 51 (6.8–2385)], higher than a secondary school education [OR = 21 (4.1–144.2)], organized travel [OR = 4 (2.1–6.5)], traveling for leisure [OR = 2.1 (1.1–0.4)], and nationality [OR = 2 (1.11–4.00)]. In the doxycycline group, the predictors included higher than a secondary education [OR = 20.1 (4.5–125.1)], organized travel [OR = 11.4 (5.5–20.9)], travel for leisure [OR = 7 (2.3–22.9)], travel to an African destination [OR = 6.1 (0.41–417)], and nationality [OR = 4.5 (2.3–9.5)].Conclusion. Adherence with malaria chemoprophylaxis could be affected by many factors such as nationality, education, and organized travel.
A New Era of Submillimeter GRB Afterglow Follow-Ups with the Greenland Telescope
Authors: Urata Yuji , Huang Kuiyun , Asada Keiichi , Hirashita Hiroyuki , Inoue Makoto , Ho Paul T. P.
Published: August 2015

Planned rapid submillimeter (submm) gamma-ray-bursts (GRBs) follow-up observations conducted using the Greenland Telescope (GLT) are presented. The GLT is a 12-m submm telescope to be located at the top of the Greenland ice sheet, where the high altitude and dry weather porvide excellent conditions for observations at submm wavelengths. With its combination of wavelength window and rapid responding system, the GLT will explore new insights on GRBs. Summarizing the current achievements of submm GRB follow-ups, we identify the following three scientific goals regarding GRBs: (1) systematic detection of bright submm emissions originating from reverse shock (RS) in the early afterglow phase, (2) characterization of forward shock and RS emissions by capturing their peak flux and frequencies and performing continuous monitoring, and (3) detections of GRBs at a high redshift as a result of the explosion of first generation stars through systematic rapid follow-ups. The light curves and spectra calculated by available theoretical models clearly show that the GLT could play a crucial role in these studies.
New Insights on Retrieval-Induced and Ongoing Memory Consolidation: Lessons from Arc
Authors: Morin Jean-Pascal , Guzmán-Ramos Kioko , Bermudez-Rattoni Federico
Published: August 2015

The mainstream view on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying memory formation states that memory traces reside on the network of cells activated during initial acquisition that becomes active again upon retrieval (reactivation). These activation and reactivation processes have been called “conjunctive trace.” This process implies that singular molecular events must occur during acquisition, strengthening the connection between the implicated cells whose synchronous activity must underlie subsequent reactivations. The strongest experimental support for the conjunctive trace model comes from the study of immediate early genes such as c-fos, zif268, and activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein. The expressions of these genes are reliably induced by behaviorally relevant neuronal activity and their products often play a central role in long-term memory formation. In this review, we propose that the peculiar characteristics of Arc protein, such as its optimal expression after ongoing experience or familiar behavior, together with its versatile and central functions in synaptic plasticity could explain how familiarization and recognition memories are stored and preserved in the mammalian brain.
Aural Myiasis, a Rare Cause of Earache
Authors: Al Jabr Ibrahim
Published: August 2015

Myiasis of the ear is an infestation of the ear by maggots (the larval stage of flies). In the literature, there are only few cases reported about aural myiasis. It is more common to occur in tropical regions, where humidity and warm weather provide a good environment for this infestation. In this paper, a 12-year-old boy is reported to have unilateral earache for 3-day duration. Examination of the painful ear showed a tympanic membrane perforation with larvae (maggots) in the middle ear. They were removed by using a forceps and gentle irrigation of ear to expel any remnant. Further management included assessment of hearing, computed tomography (CT) scan, and outpatient follow-up.
In VivoAnti-CandidaActivity of Phenolic Extracts and Compounds: Future Perspectives Focusing on Effective Clinical Interventions
Authors: Martins Natália , Barros Lillian , Henriques Mariana , Silva Sónia , Ferreira Isabel C. F. R.
Published: August 2015

Candidaspecies have increasingly deserved a special attention among the medical community. In spite of the presence ofCandidaspecies as a human commensal, alarming rates of local and systemic infections have been observed, varying from moderate to severe impact. Currently available antifungal drugs have progressively lost their effectiveness, pointing urgently the problem of the microorganisms with acquired-resistance. Natural matrices are secularly used for numerous purposes, being inclusive and highly effective as antimicrobials. Increasing evidence gives a particular emphasis to the contribution of phenolic extracts and related individual compounds.In vitrostudies clearly confirm their prominent effects, but the confirmation throughin vivostudies, including the involved mechanisms of action, is not so much deepened. Therefore, the present report aims to provide extensive knowledge about all these aspects, highlighting the most efficient phytochemical formulations, including therapeutic doses. Further studies need to be incited to deepen knowledge on this area, namely, focused on clinical trials to provide safer and more effective antimicrobials than the current ones.