Patch-Based Experiments with Object Classification in Video Surveillance

We present a patch-based algorithm for the purpose of object classification in video surveillance. Within detected regions-of-interest (ROIs) of moving objects in the scene, a feature vector is calculated based on template matching of a large set of image patches. Instead of matching direct image pixels, we use Gabor-filtered versions of the input image at several scales. This approach has been adopted from recent experiments in generic object-recognition tasks. We present results for a new typical video surveillance dataset containing over 9,000 object images. Furthermore, we compare our system performance with another existing smaller surveillance dataset. We have found that with 50 training samples or higher, our detection rate is on the average above 95%. Because of the inherent scalability of the algorithm, an embedded system implementation is well within reach

Kinetic modeling studies of heterogeneously catalyzed biodiesel synthesis reactions

The heterogeneously catalyzed transesterification reaction for the production of biodiesel from triglycerides was investigated for reaction mechanism and kinetic constants. Three elementary reaction mechanisms Eley-Rideal (ER), Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW), and Hattori with assumptions, such as quasi-steady-state conditions for the surface species and methanol adsorption, and surface reactions as the rate-determining steps were applied to predict the catalyst surface coverage and the bulk concentration using a multiscale simulation framework. The rate expression based on methanol adsorption as the rate limiting in LHHW elementary mechanism has been found to be statistically the most reliable representation of the experimental data using hydrotalcite catalyst with different formulations

Boolean functions for homomorphic-friendly stream ciphers

The proliferation of small embedded devices having growing but still limited computing and data storage facilities, and the related development of cloud services with extensive storage and computing means, raise nowadays new privacy issues because of the outsourcing of data processing. This has led to a need for symmetric cryptosystems suited for hybrid symmetric-FHE encryption protocols, ensuring the practicability of the FHE solution. Recent ciphers meant for such use have been introduced, such as LowMC, Kreyvium, FLIP, and Rasta. The introduction of stream ciphers devoted to symmetric-FHE frameworks such as FLIP and its recent modification has in its turn posed new problems on the Boolean functions to be used in them as filter functions. We recall the state of the art in this matter and present further studies (without proof)

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of the Novel Semicarbazide-Sensitive Amine-Oxidase Inhibitor SzV-1287 in Chronic Arthritis Models of the Mouse.

Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) catalyses oxidative deamination of primary amines. Since there is no data about its function in pain and arthritis mechanisms, we investigated the effects of our novel SSAO inhibitor SzV-1287 in chronic mouse models of joint inflammation. Effects of SzV-1287 (20 mg/kg i.p./day) were investigated in the K/BxN serum-transfer and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-evoked active immunization models compared to the reference SSAO inhibitor LJP-1207. Mechanonociception was assessed by aesthesiometry, oedema by plethysmometry, clinical severity by scoring, joint function by grid test, myeloperoxidase activity by luminescence, vascular leakage by fluorescence in vivo imaging, histopathological changes by semiquantitative evaluation, and cytokines by Luminex assay. SzV-1287 significantly inhibited hyperalgesia and oedema in both models. Plasma leakage and keratinocyte chemoattractant production in the tibiotarsal joint, but not myeloperoxidase activity was significantly reduced by SzV-1287 in K/BxN-arthritis. SzV-1287 did not influence vascular and cellular mechanisms in CFA-arthritis, but significantly decreased histopathological alterations. There was no difference in the anti-hyperalgesic and anti-inflammatory actions of SzV-1287 and LJP-1207, but only SzV-1287 decreased CFA-induced tissue damage. Unlike SzV-1287, LJP-1207 induced cartilage destruction, which was confirmed in vitro. SzV-1287 exerts potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions in chronic arthritis models of distinct mechanisms, without inducing cartilage damage

Nanopillar spin filter tunnel junctions with manganite barriers.

The potential of a manganite ferromagnetic insulator in the field of spin-filtering has been demonstrated. For this, an ultrathin film of Sm0.75Sr0.25MnO3 is integrated as a barrier in an epitaxial oxide nanopillar tunnel junction and a high spin polarization of up to 75% at 5 K has been achieved. A large zero-bias anomaly observed in the dynamic conductance at low temperatures is explained in terms of the Kondo scattering model. In addition, a decrease in spin polarization at low bias and hysteretic magneto-resistance at low temperatures are reported. The results open up new possibilities for spin-electronics and suggest exploration of other manganites-based materials for the room temperature spin-filter applications.This work was partially supported by the ERC Advanced Integrators Grant “SUPERSPIN”. B.P. was funded by the Nehru Trust for Cambridge University and St John’s College. The TEM work at Texas A&M was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF-DMR 0846504). The authors wish to thank Prof. J. Kumar (IIT Kanpur, India) for help in improving the manuscript.This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Nano Letters, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl500798

Global Effects of Catecholamines on Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Gene Expression

Bacteria can use mammalian hormones to modulate pathogenic processes that play essential roles in disease development. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is an important porcine respiratory pathogen causing great economic losses in the pig industry globally. Stress is known to contribute to the outcome of A. pleuropneumoniae infection. To test whether A. pleuropneumoniae could respond to stress hormone catecholamines, gene expression profiles after epinephrine (Epi) and norepinephrine (NE) treatment were compared with those from untreated bacteria. The microarray results showed that 158 and 105 genes were differentially expressed in the presence of Epi and NE, respectively. These genes were assigned to various functional categories including many virulence factors. Only 18 genes were regulated by both hormones. These genes included apxIA (the ApxI toxin structural gene), pgaB (involved in biofilm formation), APL_0443 (an autotransporter adhesin) and genes encoding potential hormone receptors such as tyrP2, the ygiY-ygiX (qseC-qseB) operon and narQ-narP (involved in nitrate metabolism). Further investigations demonstrated that cytotoxic activity was enhanced by Epi but repressed by NE in accordance with apxIA gene expression changes. Biofilm formation was not affected by either of the two hormones despite pgaB expression being affected. Adhesion to host cells was induced by NE but not by Epi, suggesting that the hormones affect other putative adhesins in addition to APL_0443. This study revealed that A. pleuropneumoniae gene expression, including those encoding virulence factors, was altered in response to both catecholamines. The differential regulation of A. pleuropneumoniae gene expression by the two hormones suggests that this pathogen may have multiple responsive systems for the two catecholamines