Reconstruction of 3D faces by shape estimation and texture interpolation

This paper aims to address the ill-posed problem of reconstructing 3D faces from single 2D face images. An extended Tikhonov regularization method is connected with the standard 3D morphable model in order to reconstruct the 3D face shapes from a small set of 2D facial points. Further, by interpolating the input 2D texture with the model texture and warping the interpolated texture to the reconstructed face shapes, 3D face reconstruction is achieved. For the texture warping, the 2D face deformation has been learned from the model texture using a set of facial landmarks. Our experimental results justify the robustness of the proposed approach with respect to the reconstruction of realistic 3D face shapes

Numerical modeling for the evaluation of grout penetration in fractured rock masses

Grouting aims to reduce the permeability of rock mass below the required value and has been widely used in rock engineering field for a long time

Capital Regulation and Bank Risk-Taking Behavior: Evidence from Pakistan

In response to the global financial crisis of 2007–2009, risk-based capital requirements have been reinforced in the new Basel III Accord to counter excessive bank risk-taking behavior. However, prior theoretical as well as empirical literature that studies the impact of risk-based capital requirements on bank risk-taking behavior is inconclusive. The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of risk-based capital requirements on bank risk-taking behavior, using a panel dataset of 21 listed commercial banks of Pakistan over the period 2005–2012. Purely regulatory measures of bank capital, capital adequacy ratio, and bank assets portfolio risk, risk-weighted assets to total assets ratio, are used for the main analysis. Recently developed small N panel methods (bias corrected least squares dummy variable (LSDVC) method and system GMM method with instruments collapse option) are used to control for panel fixed effects, dynamic dependent variables, and endogenous independent variables. Overall, the results suggest that commercial banks have reduced assets portfolio risk in response to stringent risk-based capital requirements. Results also confirm that all banks having risk-based capital ratios either lower or higher than the regulatory required limits, have decreased portfolio risk in response to stringent risk-based capital requirements. The results are robust to alternative proxies of bank risk-taking, alternative estimation methods, and alternative samples

Combining ICA Representations for Recognizing Faces

Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is a generalization of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and it looks for components that are both statistically independent and non-Gaussian. ICA is sensitive to high-order statistic and it expected to outperform PCA in finding better basis images. Moreover, with face recognition, high-order relationships among pixels may have more important information than those of pairwise relationships on which base images found by PCA depend. Two different representations can be applied by ICA; ICA architecture I and ICA architecture II. A new classifier that combines the two ICA architectures is proposed for face recognition. By the new classifier, the similarity measure vector was employed in which the similarity measure vectors for both ICA representations were resorted in descending order and then integrated by merging the corresponding values of each vector. The new classifier was performed on face images in the AR Face Database. Cumulative Match Characteristic was taken as a measure for evaluating the performance of the new classifier with illumination variation, expression, and Occlusion. The proposed classifier outperforms both ICA architectures in all cases especially in later ranks

Simulation of chemical mechanical planarization of copper with molecular dynamics

With an aim to understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying chemical mechanical planarization ~CMP! of copper, we simulate the nanoscale polishing of a copper surface with molecular dynamics utilizing the embedded atom method. Mechanical abrasion produces rough planarized surfaces with a large chip in front of the abrasive particle, and dislocations in the bulk of the crystal. The addition of chemical dissolution leads to very smooth planarized copper surfaces and considerably smaller frictional forces that prevent the formation of bulk dislocations. This is a first step towards understanding the interplay between mechanistic material abrasion and chemical dissolution in chemical mechanical planarization of copper interconnects

Nature of urban interventions in changing the old center of a globalizing Doha

Doha, Qatar is continuously positioning itself at the forefront of international urbanism with different qualities of expression in terms of economy, culture, and global outlook, and is characterized by fast-tracked urban development process with large-scale urban interventions in the old center. Although the unprecedented urban growth of this city continues to be a subject of discussion, little attention has been given to investigate the new interventions and the resulting effects they have on the old center. This study aims to examine three important urban interventions, namely, the Museum of Islamic Art, the reconstruction of the traditional market called Souq Waqif, and the Msheireb urban regeneration project. It examines local and global issues, universal standard practices, and traditional knowledge. This study employs a descriptive analysis of these interventions to explore the impact of change in the old center, exemplified by socio-spatial and typo-morphological aspects. Reference is made to a number of empirical studies, including behavioral mapping, GIS population statistics, and analysis of historical maps. Results analytically narrate the reactions of these interventions to the possibility of simultaneously adopting universal practices with local knowledge, and whether prioritizing local influences would represent narrow-mindedness in shaping the city

The integrated prediction system for geological conditions ahead of tunnel faces

It is essential to employ the observational design and construction method to manage tunnel projects efficiently