9,074 research outputs found
Anveshak - A Groundtruth Generation Tool for Foreground Regions of Document Images
We propose a graphical user interface based groundtruth generation tool in
this paper. Here, annotation of an input document image is done based on the
foreground pixels. Foreground pixels are grouped together with user interaction
to form labeling units. These units are then labeled by the user with the user
defined labels. The output produced by the tool is an image with an XML file
containing its metadata information. This annotated data can be further used in
different applications of document image analysis.Comment: Accepted in DAR 201
Fast and Accurate Simulation Technique for Large Irregular Arrays
A fast full-wave simulation technique is presented for the analysis of large
irregular planar arrays of identical 3-D metallic antennas. The solution method
relies on the Macro Basis Functions (MBF) approach and an interpolatory
technique to compute the interactions between MBFs. The Harmonic-polynomial
(HARP) model is established for the near-field interactions in a modified
system of coordinates. For extremely large arrays made of complex antennas, two
approaches assuming a limited radius of influence for mutual coupling are
considered: one is based on a sparse-matrix LU decomposition and the other one
on a tessellation of the array in the form of overlapping sub-arrays. The
computation of all embedded element patterns is sped up with the help of the
non-uniform FFT algorithm. Extensive validations are shown for arrays of
log-periodic antennas envisaged for the low-frequency SKA (Square Kilometer
Array) radio-telescope. The analysis of SKA stations with such a large number
of elements has not been treated yet in the literature. Validations include
comparison with results obtained with commercial software and with experiments.
The proposed method is particularly well suited to array synthesis, in which
several orders of magnitude can be saved in terms of computation time.Comment: The paper was submitted to IEEE Transaction on Antennas and
Propagation on 01 - Feb.- 2017. The paper is 12 pages with 18 figure
Barriers to Remote Health Interventions for Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Proposed Classification Scheme
BACKGROUND:
Diabetes self-management involves adherence to healthy daily habits typically involving blood glucose monitoring, medication, exercise, and diet. To support self-management, some providers have begun testing remote interventions for monitoring and assisting patients between clinic visits. Although some studies have shown success, there are barriers to widespread adoption.
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of our study was to identify and classify barriers to adoption of remote health for management of type 2 diabetes.
METHODS:
The following 6 electronic databases were searched for articles published from 2010 to 2015: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Northern Light Life Sciences Conference Abstracts, and Scopus (Elsevier). The search identified studies involving remote technologies for type 2 diabetes self-management. Reviewers worked in teams of 2 to review and extract data from identified papers. Information collected included study characteristics, outcomes, dropout rates, technologies used, and barriers identified.
RESULTS:
A total of 53 publications on 41 studies met the specified criteria. Lack of data accuracy due to input bias (32%, 13/41), limitations on scalability (24%, 10/41), and technology illiteracy (24%, 10/41) were the most commonly cited barriers. Technology illiteracy was most prominent in low-income populations, whereas limitations on scalability were more prominent in mid-income populations. Barriers identified were applied to a conceptual model of successful remote health, which includes patient engagement, patient technology accessibility, quality of care, system technology cost, and provider productivity. In total, 40.5% (60/148) of identified barrier instances impeded patient engagement, which is manifest in the large dropout rates cited (up to 57%).
CONCLUSIONS:
The barriers identified represent major challenges in the design of remote health interventions for diabetes. Breakthrough technologies and systems are needed to alleviate the barriers identified so far, particularly those associated with patient engagement. Monitoring devices that provide objective and reliable data streams on medication, exercise, diet, and glucose monitoring will be essential for widespread effectiveness. Additional work is needed to understand root causes of high dropout rates, and new interventions are needed to identify and assist those at the greatest risk of dropout. Finally, future studies must quantify costs and benefits to determine financial sustainability
Conformational Instability of Rodlike Polyelectrolytes due to Counterion Fluctuations
The effective elasticity of highly charged stiff polyelectrolytes is studied
in the presence of counterions, with and without added salt. The rigid polymer
conformations may become unstable due to an effective attraction induced by
counterion density fluctuations. Instabilities at the longest, or intermediate
length scales may signal collapse to globule, or necklace states, respectively.
In the presence of added-salt, a generalized electrostatic persistence length
is obtained, which has a nontrivial dependence on the Debye screening length.
It is also found that the onset of conformational instability is a re-entrant
phenomenon as a function of polyelectrolyte length for the unscreened case, and
the Debye length or salt concentration for the screened case. This may be
relevant in understanding the experimentally observed re-entrant condensation
of DNA.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
Collapse of Stiff Polyelectrolytes due to Counterion Fluctuations
The effective elasticity of highly charged stiff polyelectrolytes is studied
in the presence of counterions, with and without added salt. The rigid polymer
conformations may become unstable due to an effective attraction induced by
counterion density fluctuations. Instabilities at the longest, or intermediate
length scales may signal collapse to globule, or necklace states, respectively.
In the presence of added-salt, a generalized electrostatic persistence length
is obtained, which has a nontrivial dependence on the Debye screening length.Comment: 4 pages RevTex, 3 ps figures included using epsf, final version as
appeared in PR
Direct determination of the solar neutrino fluxes from solar neutrino data
We determine the solar neutrino fluxes from a global analysis of the solar
and terrestrial neutrino data in the framework of three-neutrino mixing. Using
a Bayesian approach we reconstruct the posterior probability distribution
function for the eight normalization parameters of the solar neutrino fluxes
plus the relevant masses and mixing, with and without imposing the luminosity
constraint. This is done by means of a Markov Chain Monte Carlo employing the
Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. We also describe how these results can be
applied to test the predictions of the Standard Solar Models. Our results show
that, at present, both models with low and high metallicity can describe the
data with good statistical agreement.Comment: 24 pages, 1 table, 7 figures. Acknowledgments correcte
Microparticles from patients with metabolic syndrome induce vascular hypo-reactivity via Fas/Fas-ligand pathway in mice
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
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