Single image super-resolution algorithm using PSNR in the wavelet domain

© 2020, Institute of Advanced Scientific Research, Inc.. All rights reserved. This article introduces a new algorithm for enhancing the resolution of interpolated images. The aim of this proposed algorithm is to obtain a high resolution image from a single low resolution image. The new algorithm uses the interpolation technique with a two dimensional filter that is specifically designed for the image by maximizing the peak signal to noise ratio in the wavelet domain. In addition to the 2D filter, a prediction method to estimate the difference between interpolated images will be used. The processed images are assessed by comparing them with ground truth images which are used for assessment purpose only. The proposed algorithm performance is evaluated using the peak signal to noise ratio in the spatial domain (PSNR), the peak signal to noise ratio in the wavelet domain (WPSNR) and the structural similarity index measurement (SSIM). The proposed new algorithm gives a better result than the previous algorithms

The translation of intertextual expressions in political articles

The study discusses the translation of intertextual expressions in political articles, aiming at understanding the role of intertextuality within the cultural, ideological and individual circles. Critical discourse analysis shows clearly how indispensible intertextuality is to political discourse in particular as a major ideological tool, especially in the information age when the media employ numerous forms of intertextuality to reinforce their message in terms of legitimisation or delegitimisation. Political newspaper comments tend to belong to the argumentative or vocative (appellative) type of texts, which are intended to achieve a maximum impact on the receiver. In an attempt to relay intertextual expressions across languages, a culture-specific problem is mainly found since different aspects of intertextuality are likely to arise in social, historical, religious and literary terrns which form the unique background of each culture. It is suggested that a three-stage process underpins the successful translation of intertextual expressions. First, an intertextual expression needs to be identified; second, its 'host of associations' have to be fully comprehended; thirdly, the appropriate type of equivalence is to be chosen to 'reflect the same ideological force' of the original expression. This is often achieved by means of functional equivalencc, which provides corresponding target language culture expressions that are expected to 'Invoke the same effect' of those of the source language culture.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Metrication in highway design and operations

The complex problem of metrication of highway design, construction and maintenance has been the subject of a number of studies and pilot projects carried out by the Federal Highway Administration (F.H.W.A.) of the United States and the Roads and Transportation Association of Canada. Through a research grant, the FHWA of the U.S.A. assigned the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Oregon Highway Division to design, construct, and maintain these metric projects. The author has reviewed the experience and conclusions of these studies and the problems encountered in the pilot projects relative to the design, survey, contracting, construction, signing, and public reactions to the metrication process. In the conclusions to this review, the author questions some of the recommendations of these studies, specifically in the area of curvature and station definition, notation convention, and the concept of dual signing. In these and other areas recommended guidelines for highway metrication are proposed. Finally, the author presents a set of equations and computer generated tables for highway design and layout in metric incorporating the flexibility of 10, 20, 40, and 100 metre station and curvature definition

Characterisation of Nicotine and Cancer-Enhancing Anions in the Common Smokeless Tobacco Afzal in Oman

Objectives: Afzal is a common smokeless tobacco product (STP) available illegally in Oman. This study aimed to assess pH and moisture levels and determine cancer-enhancing factors in a randomly selected sample of Afzal. Methods: This study was carried out at the Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman, between April and December 2013. A package of Afzal was purchased from a single provider and divided into samples. The pH and moisture content of the samples were measured according to the protocols of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyse nicotine levels and ionexchange chromatography (IC) was used to determine concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, chloride, fluoride, bromide, sulphate and phosphate anions. Results: The samples had an alkaline pH of 10.46 with high levels of total (48,770.00 μg per g of STP [μg/g]) and unionised (48,590.00 μg/g) nicotine. The concentration of nitrate (8,792.20 μg/g) was alarmingly high. The chloride concentration (33,170.80 μg/g) showed a surge on IC chromatography. The moisture content percentage was 52.00%. Conclusion: The moisture content percentage and chloride concentration of Afzal was consistent with those of other STPs. In contrast, nitrite, sulphate and phosphate concentrations were below reported levels of other STPs. All anion concentrations were below the maximum daily limit set by international health organisations. However, the high concentrations of nitrite, nitrate and nicotine and the elevated alkaline pH observed in the analysed Afzal samples suggest that STP users will face health risks as a result of their use

Geostatistical applications to salinity mapping and simulated reclamation

Geostatistical methods were used to find efficient and accurate means for salinity assessment using regionalized random variables and limited sampling. The random variables selected, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), electrical conductivity (EC), and clay content were measured on samples taken over an area of fifteen square miles. Ordinary kriging and co-kriging were used as linear estimators. They were compared on the basis of average kriging variance and sum of squares for error between observed and estimated values. The results indicate a significant improvement in the average kriging variance and sum of squares by using co-kriging estimators. EC was used to estimate SAR because of the high correlation between them. This was not true for clay content. A saving of two-thirds of the cost and time was achieved by using electrical conductivity as an auxiliary variable to estimate sodium absorption ratio. The nonlinear estimator, disjunctive kriging, was an improvement over co-kriging in terms of the variances. More information at the estimation site is a more important consideration than when the estimator is linear. Disjunctive kriging was used to produce an estimate of the conditional probability that the value at an unsampled location is greater than an arbitrary cutoff level. This feature of disjunctive kriging aids salinity assessment and reclamation management. A solute transport model was used to show how saptially variable initial conditions influenced the amount of water required to reclaim a saline soil at each sampling point in a simulated leaching of the area

Best S-box amongst differently sized S-boxes based on the avalanche effect in ‎the advance encryption standard algorithm

Substitution boxes are essential nonlinear modules that are popular in block ‎cipher algorithms. They ‎also play a significant role in the security area because of ‎their robustness to different linear ‎cryptanalysis. Each element of the state in a S-‎box is nonlinearly replaced using a lookup table. This ‎research presents the S-‎box, one of the fundamental parts of the advanced encryption standard ‎‎(AES) ‎algorithm. The S-box represents the confusion part in the AES. However, when ‎information ‎is shared between different devices in an authorized manner, the ‎algorithm should be able to ‎combine a sufficient number of confusion layers to ‎guarantee the avalanche effect (AE). ‎Subsequently, this research selects the best ‎S-box by comparing different sizes (4×4, 8×8, and ‎‎16×16) and measuring them ‎on the basis of the million-bit encryption. The AE is the main criterion ‎used in ‎choosing the best S-box. A robust and strong cryptography algorithm should be ‎able to ‎confirm the AEs. Results indicate that the 16×16 S-box with a 52% AE ‎ratio is the superior S-bo

High frequency of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in patients with diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is becoming increasingly prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus in the Middle East. We examined the relationship of these bacteria and their resistance mechanisms to the diabetic disease status of patients in Saudi Arabia. Susceptibilities of 271 isolates to carbapenems, tigecycline and colistin were determined, followed by detection of carbapenemase genes. A blaVIM gene was detected in ~95 % of isolates; blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-40 genes were also prevalent. Diabetic patients were significantly more likely to carry carbapenem-resistant isolates. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii is a serious problem in diabetic patients, and molecular detection of resistance mechanisms in these isolates is required

Electrical properties of organic light emitting diodes with post fabrication heat and electric field treatments

The current work presents post-fabrication heat treatment and a combined external electric field-heat post-fabrication treatments for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The devices were fabricated in the same run with a standard device without annealing for comparison, with an identical structure of ITO/PVK/Rhodamine B/Pb. After depositing the Rhodamine B layer on the PVK film, the samples were thermally annealed at different temperatures before depositing Pb. Some of the samples were thermally annealed without any external electric field while others were treated by an external electric field during heating. It is found that the annealing temperature of PVK/Rhodamine B layers increases the turn-on voltage of the device. On the other hand, in the electric field-heat treatment, the turn-on voltage is observed to decrease and the maximum current density of the device is dramatically enhanced