Constrained set-up of the tGAP structure for progressive vector data transfer

A promising approach to submit a vector map from a server to a mobile client is to send a coarse representation first, which then is incrementally refined. We consider the problem of defining a sequence of such increments for areas of different land-cover classes in a planar partition. In order to submit well-generalised datasets, we propose a method of two stages: First, we create a generalised representation from a detailed dataset, using an optimisation approach that satisfies certain cartographic constraints. Second, we define a sequence of basic merge and simplification operations that transforms the most detailed dataset gradually into the generalised dataset. The obtained sequence of gradual transformations is stored without geometrical redundancy in a structure that builds up on the previously developed tGAP (topological Generalised Area Partitioning) structure. This structure and the algorithm for intermediate levels of detail (LoD) have been implemented in an object-relational database and tested for land-cover data from the official German topographic dataset ATKIS at scale 1:50 000 to the target scale 1:250 000. Results of these tests allow us to conclude that the data at lowest LoD and at intermediate LoDs is well generalised. Applying specialised heuristics the applied optimisation method copes with large datasets; the tGAP structure allows users to efficiently query and retrieve a dataset at a specified LoD. Data are sent progressively from the server to the client: First a coarse representation is sent, which is refined until the requested LoD is reached

Gradual Information Diffusion and Asset Price Momentum

Gradual information diffusion model predicts that as private information travels across the population, pricing accuracy would improve and asset prices would exhibit momentum as a result. In laboratory markets I investigate the market’s aggregation capacity in response to varying proportions of informed traders as a consequence of information diffusion. The results demonstrate that pricing errors are high when private information is dispersed and that, as the information spreads, the market gradually revise the errors and manifest momentum. Analysis suggests that aggregation under dispersed information conditions is hampered by three factors: equilibrium multiplicity, slow arrival of myopic traders, and anonymous trading.

A vibrational spectroscopic study of some surfactant systems

Infra red and Raman spectroscopy has been used to study: (i) the aggregation process of some polyoxyethylene surfactants in apolar media,(ii) the microenvironment of water at and near the micellar surface in seme cationic surfactants, and(iii) the nature of the hydrocarbon core within cationic surfactant micelles. We have used the V(_s)(O-H) stretching vibration of some polyoxyethylene surfactants of the type C(_12)H(_25) (OCH(_2)CH(_2)) (_n)-OH [where n = 0 to 8] to quantify the aggregation process in a variety of solvents. These have included heptane, decane, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, deutero-chloroform and decalin. In doing this we have gone some way in understanding the nature and mechanism for aggregation in such systene. Mid and far ir spectrcscopy has enabled us to study the nature of water at and near the mioellar surface in dodecyl and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride mesophase systems. We have studied the decoupled v(_s)(O-D) band of HDO and the v(_A)(H(_2)0), the combination mode of water in the mid ir. In addition v(_T), the intemolecular translational mode of water, in the far ir of these systems, has also been investigated. The results have been treated collectively, and a generalized model for the state of water has been proposed. Spectra for dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide were also obtained and compared with the corresponding chloride data. Raman spectroscopy of the hydrocarbon core in cationic surfactant micelles has shown that no abrupt changes occur in the gauche/trans equilibrium on crossing a (iiase boundary, with the exception of the gel/lamellar phase (where this is expected). However, examination of the C-ll stretching region has shown that the anisotropic phases (i.e. H(_1), L(_a)) display an increased lateral interaction. The isotropic phases (i.e. L(_1), I(_1), V_1)), show less interaction while the first intermediate phase in C(_16)TACl shows behaviour between the two

Zinc-rich paint coatings containing either ionic surfactant-modified or functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube-supported polypyrrole utilized to protect cold-rolled steel against corrosion

The intense anodic action of sacrificial zinc pigments ensured viable galvanic function of the highly porous liquid zinc-rich paints (ZRPs) result in deteriorated long-term corrosion resistance often accompanied by cathodic delamination phenomena. In our approach, such a efficacy problem related to the corrosion preventive function of ZRPs is addressed by the application of intimately structured anodic inhibitor particles composed of nano-size alumina and either polyelectrolyte-modified or chemically functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) supported polypyrrole (PPy) in one specific zinc-rich hybrid paint formulation providing balanced active–passive protective functionality. High dispersity of the nanotube-free PPy-deposited inhibitor particles (PDIPs) with uneven polymer distribution on the alumina carrier was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. Furthermore, the MWCNT-embedded PDIPs indicated almost complete surface coverage of the alumina-nanotube carriers by PPy with decreased microstructure dispersity which is attributed to the effect of double-flocculants type co-deposition of the oppositely charged polymers causing coalescence of the modified particles. Depending on the amount of the nanotubes and their proportion to the quantities of the deposited PPy and polyelectrolyte as well as the concentration of the surfactant, varied micron-scale association of the PDIPs in the suspensions of dissolved alkyd matrix was disclosed by rheology characterization carried out at particular solid contents similar to hybrid paint formulation. The evenly distributed but less densely packed nano-structure of PPy was evidenced on the polyelectrolyte-modified nanotubes by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy whereas more compact polymer film formation was confirmed on the surface of functionalized nanotubes. According to the greater electrical conductivity, enhanced electroactivity and reversibility of the nanotube-embedded PDIPs were indicated over the nanotube-free particles by cyclic voltammetry, depending on the type and the amount of the nanotubes and their modification. Protection function of the hybrid paint coatings (formulated with spherical zinc pigment at 70 wt.%) was investigated by immersion and salt-spray chamber tests over 254 and 142 day periods, respectively. Firm barrier nature of the nanotube-embedded PDIP contained hybrids was proved by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and radio-frequency glow-discharge optical-emission-spectroscopy (RF-GD-OES). Furthermore, due to the increased conductivity of the nanotube-embedded PDIPs cemented in epoxy primers optimally at 0.4 and 0.6 wt.%, altered corrosion preventive behaviour of the hybrid coatings was indicated by the positively polarized open-circuit potentials (OCPs) and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) detected lower relative quantities of the interfacially accumulated zinc corrosion products, moderate oxidative degradation of the epoxy vehicle. Decreasing oxidative conversion of iron at the surface was indicated by XPS found to correlate with the increasing intensity of zinc corrosion and decreasing oxidative degradation of the epoxy binder, according to the higher nanotube contents of hybrid coatings. In addition, inhibited zinc corrosion caused low rate of oxidative degradation of epoxy, allowing increased durability of coating adhesion and cohesion thereby ensuring reliable protection by zinc-rich compositions. As a conclusion, modified or functionalized MWCNTs acting as unexchangeable doping agents promote enhanced reversibility and increased conductivity of PPy, forming nano-size inhibitor particles with advanced features. Thus, such inhibitor nano-particles in zinc-rich hybrid compositions afford improved barrier and high efficiency galvanic–cathodic corrosion preventive function, exceeding long-term protection capability of the conventional ZRPs

Gradual Generalization of Nautical Chart Contours with a Cube B-Spline Snake Model

—B-spline snake methods have been used in cartographic generalization in the past decade, particularly in the generalization of navigational charts where this method yields good results with respect to the shoal-bias rules for generalization of chart contours. However, previous studies only show generalization results at particular generalization (or scale) levels, and the user can only see two conditions: before the generalization and after generalization, but nothing in between. This paper presents an improved method of using B-spline snakes for generalization in the context of nautical charts, where the generalization process is done gradually, and the user can see the complete process of the generalization

Eden growth model for aggregation of charged particles

The stochastic Eden model of charged particles aggregation in two-dimensional systems is presented. This model is governed by two parameters: screening length of electrostatic interaction, $\lambda$, and short range attraction energy, $E$. Different patterns of finite and infinite aggregates are observed. They are of following types of morphologies: linear or linear with bending, warm-like, DBM (dense-branching morphology), DBM with nucleus, and compact Eden-like. The transition between the different modes of growth is studied and phase diagram of the growth structures is obtained in $\lambda, E$ co-ordinates. The detailed aggregate structure analysis, including analysis of their fractal properties, is presented. The scheme of the internal inhomogeneous structure of aggregates is proposed.Comment: Revtex, 9 pages with 12 postscript figure

Constrained tGAP for generalisation between scales: the case of Dutch topographic data

This article presents the results of integrating large- and medium-scale data into a unified data structure. This structure can be used as a single non-redundant representation for the input data, which can be queried at any arbitrary scale between the source scales. The solution is based on the constrained topological Generalized Area Partition (tGAP), which stores the results of a generalization process applied to the large-scale dataset, and is controlled by the objects of the medium-scale dataset, which act as constraints on the large-scale objects. The result contains the accurate geometry of the large-scale objects enriched with the generalization knowledge of the medium-scale data, stored as references in the constraint tGAP structure. The advantage of this constrained approach over the original tGAP is the higher quality of the aggregated maps. The idea was implemented with real topographic datasets from The Netherlands for the large- (1:1000) and medium-scale (1:10,000) data. The approach is expected to be equally valid for any categorical map and for other scales as well

TRECVid 2007 experiments at Dublin City University

In this paper we describe our retrieval system and experiments performed for the automatic search task in TRECVid 2007. We submitted the following six automatic runs: • F A 1 DCU-TextOnly6: Baseline run using only ASR/MT text features. • F A 1 DCU-ImgBaseline4: Baseline visual expert only run, no ASR/MT used. Made use of query-time generation of retrieval expert coefficients for fusion. • F A 2 DCU-ImgOnlyEnt5: Automatic generation of retrieval expert coefficients for fusion at index time. • F A 2 DCU-imgOnlyEntHigh3: Combination of coefficient generation which combined the coefficients generated by the query-time approach, and the index-time approach, with greater weight given to the index-time coefficient. • F A 2 DCU-imgOnlyEntAuto2: As above, except that greater weight is given to the query-time coefficient that was generated. • F A 2 DCU-autoMixed1: Query-time expert coefficient generation that used both visual and text experts