Image processing application to a translate Braille black ink system Braille

We recall the enhancement by polynomial filtering principle of the numerical Braille relief image . We describe the recognition method based on two orthogonal axis projection of each Braille character . The five recognition steps are developed taking account ofform defaults of relief and using a maximum likehood method. The position axis dispersion of Braille characters permits to calculate estimated theoretical error . The error rate, verified in practice for manual made Braille reliefs is about 1 % .Après avoir rappelé le principe de rehaussement par filtrage polynomial de l'image du relief Braille numérisée, il est décrit la méthode de reconnaissance choisie pour ce type particulier de forme d'objets . Cette méthode est basée sur la projection de chaque graphème sur deux axes orthogonaux . Il est décrit les cinq étapes de reconnaissance de chaque rangée de relief Braille qui tiennent compte de ses irrégularités de forme, et qui exploitent une méthode de maximum de vraisemblance . Le relevé de la dispersion des positions des axes des graphèmes permet de donner une estimation théorique du taux de réussite de reconnaissance pour des reliefs fabriqués manuellement . Le taux vérifié dans la pratique est voisin de 99 %

Human physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for propofol

BACKGROUND: Propofol is widely used for both short-term anesthesia and long-term sedation. It has unusual pharmacokinetics because of its high lipid solubility. The standard approach to describing the pharmacokinetics is by a multi-compartmental model. This paper presents the first detailed human physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for propofol. METHODS: PKQuest, a freely distributed software routine , was used for all the calculations. The "standard human" PBPK parameters developed in previous applications is used. It is assumed that the blood and tissue binding is determined by simple partition into the tissue lipid, which is characterized by two previously determined set of parameters: 1) the value of the propofol oil/water partition coefficient; 2) the lipid fraction in the blood and tissues. The model was fit to the individual experimental data of Schnider et. al., Anesthesiology, 1998; 88:1170 in which an initial bolus dose was followed 60 minutes later by a one hour constant infusion. RESULTS: The PBPK model provides a good description of the experimental data over a large range of input dosage, subject age and fat fraction. Only one adjustable parameter (the liver clearance) is required to describe the constant infusion phase for each individual subject. In order to fit the bolus injection phase, for 10 or the 24 subjects it was necessary to assume that a fraction of the bolus dose was sequestered and then slowly released from the lungs (characterized by two additional parameters). The average weighted residual error (WRE) of the PBPK model fit to the both the bolus and infusion phases was 15%; similar to the WRE for just the constant infusion phase obtained by Schnider et. al. using a 6-parameter NONMEM compartmental model. CONCLUSION: A PBPK model using standard human parameters and a simple description of tissue binding provides a good description of human propofol kinetics. The major advantage of a PBPK model is that it can be used to predict the changes in kinetics produced by variations in physiological parameters. As one example, the model simulation of the changes in pharmacokinetics for morbidly obese subjects is discussed

Verification of a numerical simulation technique for natural convection

The present paper describes a verification of CONVEC2 for single-zone geometries by comparison with the results of two natural convection experiments performed in small-scale rectangular enclosures. These experiments were selected because of the high Rayleigh numbers obtained and the small heat loss through the insulated surfaces. Comparisons are presented for (1) heat transfer rates, (2) fluid temperature profiles, and (3) surface heat flux distributions

Convective heat transfer in buildings: recent research results. Rev

Recent experimental and numerical studies of convective heat transfer in buildings are described, and important results are presented. The experimental work has been performed on small-scale, water-filled enclosures; the numerical analysis results have been produced by a computer program based on a finite-difference scheme. The convective processes investigated in this research are: (1) natural convective heat transfer between room surfaces and the adjacent air, (2) natural convective heat transfer between adjacent rooms through a doorway or other openings, and (3) forced convection between the building and its external environment (such as wind-driven ventilation through windows, doors, or other openings). Results obtained at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) for surface convection coefficients are compared with existing ASHRAE correlations, and differences can have a significant impact on the accuracy of building energy analysis computer simulations. Interzone coupling correlations obtained from experimental work are in reasonable agreement with recently published experimental results and with earlier published work. Numerical simulations of wind-driven natural ventilation are presented. They exhibit good qualitative agreement with published wind-tunnel data