Semi-automatic semantic enrichment of raw sensor data

One of the more recent sources of large volumes of generated data is sensor devices, where dedicated sensing equipment is used to monitor events and happenings in a wide range of domains, including monitoring human biometrics. In recent trials to examine the effects that key moments in movies have on the human body, we fitted fitted with a number of biometric sensor devices and monitored them as they watched a range of dierent movies in groups. The purpose of these experiments was to examine the correlation between humans' highlights in movies as observed from biometric sensors, and highlights in the same movies as identified by our automatic movie analysis techniques. However,the problem with this type of experiment is that both the analysis of the video stream and the sensor data readings are not directly usable in their raw form because of the sheer volume of low-level data values generated both from the sensors and from the movie analysis. This work describes the semi-automated enrichment of both video analysis and sensor data and the mechanism used to query the data in both centralised environments, and in a peer-to-peer architecture when the number of sensor devices grows to large numbers. We present and validate a scalable means of semi-automating the semantic enrichment of sensor data, thereby providing a means of large-scale sensor management

Gravitational Lorentz Violations from M-Theory

In an attempt to bridge the gap between M-theory and braneworld phenomenology, we present various gravitational Lorentz-violating braneworlds which arise from p-brane systems. Lorentz invariance is still preserved locally on the braneworld. For certain p-brane intersections, the massless graviton is quasi-localized. This also results from an M5-brane in a C-field. In the case of a p-brane perturbed from extremality, the quasi-localized graviton is massive. For a braneworld arising from global AdS_5, gravitons travel faster when further in the bulk, thereby apparently traversing distances faster than light.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, LaTeX, references added, minor corrections and addition

Residual subsidence analysis after the end of coalmine work. Example from Lorraine colliery, France

International audienceThis paper describes the residual movements associated with the deep coalmines. The studied case relates to works located into Lorraine coal basin. The paper is divided into two sections. The first one describes subsidence phenomena, especially the residual phase in terms of amplitude, duration and localization. The second one focus on Morsbach case: the total and residual subsidence measurements will be analyzed and compared to the state of the art as well as the currant knowledge. The results of the analysis show that the duration of residual movements does not exceed 24 months and their amplitude is about 5 % of total subsidence. We analyze also the declarations of the mining damage during and after the mining period. Damages occur, after this period are probably due to late observations.Cet article décrit les mouvements résiduels associés à l'exploitation des mines de charbon à grande profondeur. Le cas traité concerne le secteur de Morsbach, influencé par une exploitation de charbon en Lorraine. L'article se décompose en deux parties : la première partie décrit le phénomène d'affaissement, et particulièrement la phase résiduelle de l'affaissement (amplitude, durée, localisation), la deuxième partie est consacrée au cas de Morsbach, pour lequel nous analyserons les mesures d'affaissement (totales et résiduelles) par rapport à l'état de la connaissance. Les résultats de l'analyse montrent que la durée de l'affaissement résiduel ne dépasse pas 24 mois et que son amplitude est de l'ordre de 5 % de l'affaissement total. Nous avons également analysé les déclarations des dommages et des dégâts miniers pendant et après l'exploitation. Les dommages observés après l'arrêt des travaux sont probablement dus à des observations tardives

Étude haute résolution de la distribution et de la granulométrie des constituants organiques sédimentaires dans le Kimméridgien–Tithonien du Boulonnais (Nord de la France). Application à l'analyse séquentielle <br />–––<br />Sedimentary organic matter, accumulation and grain-size in the Kimmeridgian–Tithonian of the Boulonnais area (Northern France). Application to sequence stratigraphy.

La matière organique sédimentaire des formations argileuses du Kimméridgien–Tithonien du Boulonnais a été étudiée sous un aspect multidisciplinaire : pétrographique, géochimique et granulométrique, ainsi que du point de vue de la stratigraphie séquentielle. Les flocons de matière organique amorphe d'origine marine dominent les palynofaciès et leur distribution se corrèle aux variations du COT, du soufre total et des paramètres granulométriques. La forte productivité des eaux de surface a dû induire une intense sulfato-réduction sous l'interface eau–sédiment, pouvant alors provoquer la sulfuration (vulcanisation) de la matière organique sédimentaire d'origine marine, malgré la présence de fer dans le milieu de dépôt. La granulométrie de l'ensemble des particules se corrèle aux variations de ce type de matière organique et aux périodes de haut niveau marin, ce qui serait une nouvelle approche dans la compréhension du découpage séquentiel. The sedimentary organic matter from the Kimmeridgian–Tithonian marlstones of the Boulonnais area is studied through a petrographic, geochemical and a grain-size distribution approach. The abundance of the orange amorphous organic matter (AOM) correlates well with the geochemical parameters and intense sulfurisation reactions could explain its preservation, with a relative iron shortage. This may imply strong surface-water productivity linked to sea-level highstands and a possible decrease in sedimentation rate. The OM grain-size parameters correlate with sea-level variations and the orange AOM distribution in the Argiles de Châtillon formation. This relation could be helpful for the comprehension of the sequential stratigraphy

Organic facies variation in the late Kimmeridgian of the Boulonnais area (northernmost France)

Recent studies of the upper Kimmeridgian of the Boulonnais area (northernmost France) have provided a sequence-stratigraphical framework that is here used to help interpret variations in sedimentary organic matter (OM) content and composition in response to fluctuations in relative sea-level. The organic facies are characterised using a combination of palynofacies, bulk organic geochemistry (TOC, Rock Eval pyrolysis, and sulphur data), and the particle-size distribution of the total palynological residues. The organic facies show a good correlation with the sequence stratigraphy, exhibiting peak TOC, HI, total S and Sorg values in the lithofacies deposited around the two MFS. The palynofacies in these intervals is characterised by a high content of fluorescent, orange, marine AOM. There is a strong correlation between the orange AOM and the total and organic sulphur contents. Similar positive correlations between orange AOM and organic sulphur have previously been observed in the distal organic-rich sediments of the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of Dorset (lateral time equivalents of the Boulonnais facies), but there the sulphur contents are lower, indicating that organic sulphur content of orange AOM is not fixed, suggestive of preservation-related parallel but not intrinsically related trends. The S data can be used to estimate an apparent burial efficiency and hence the proportion of the primary productivity preserved; this allows a rough estimate of palaeoproductivity. Model calculations suggest that for a sulphide retention of 30–70% and uncompacted sedimentation rate estimates in the range 5–10 cm/ka, the mean palaeoproductivity was in the range 52–175 gC/m2/a (up to 6% of which was preserved). Thus, if the preservation is high, as is the case for MFS, the palaeoproductivity does not need to be above average for shelf waters to produce a given TOC

A Patch Antenna Design for Application in a Phased-Array Head and Neck Hyperthermia Applicator

In this paper, we describe a specifically designed patch antenna that can be used as the basis antenna element of a clinical phased-array head and neck hyperthermia applicator. Using electromagnetic simulations we optimized the dimensions of a probe-fed patch antenna design for operation at 433 MHz. By several optimization steps we could converge to a theoretical reflection of -38 dB and a bandwidth (-15 dB) of 20 MHz (4.6%). Theoretically, the electrical performance of the antenna was satisfactory over a temperature range of 15 C–35 C, and stable for patient-antenna distances to as low as 4 cm. In an experimental cylindrical setup using six elements of the final patch design, we measured the impedance characteristics of the antenna 1) to establish its performance in the applicator and 2) to validate the simulations. For this experimental setup we simulated and measured comparable values: -21 dB reflection at 433 MHz and a bandwidth of 18.5 MHz. On the basis of this study, we anticipate good central interference of the fields of multiple antennas and conclude that this patch antenna design is very suitable for the clinical antenna array. In future research we will verify the electrical performance in a prototype applicator

Estimates for the Sobolev trace constant with critical exponent and applications

In this paper we find estimates for the optimal constant in the critical Sobolev trace inequality S\|u\|^p_{L^{p_*}(\partial\Omega) \hookrightarrow \|u\|^p_{W^{1,p}(\Omega)} that are independent of $\Omega$. This estimates generalized those of [3] for general $p$. Here $p_* := p(N-1)/(N-p)$ is the critical exponent for the immersion and $N$ is the space dimension. Then we apply our results first to prove existence of positive solutions to a nonlinear elliptic problem with a nonlinear boundary condition with critical growth on the boundary, generalizing the results of [16]. Finally, we study an optimal design problem with critical exponent.Comment: 22 pages, submitte

Experimental results and first 22Na source image reconstruction by two prototype modules in coincidence of a liquid xenon positron emission tomograph for small animal imaging

International audienceA detector with a very specific design using liquid Xenon (LXe) in the scintillation mode is studied for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of small animals. Two prototype modules equipped with Position Sensitive Photo Multiplier Tubes (PSPMTs) operating in the VUV range (178 nm) and at 165 K were built and studied in coincidence. This paper reports on energy, time and spatial resolution capabilities of this experimental test bench. Furthermore, these experimental results were used to perform the first image reconstruction of a 22Na source placed in the experimental setup

Quantum Key Distribution between N partners: optimal eavesdropping and Bell's inequalities

Quantum secret-sharing protocols involving N partners (NQSS) are key distribution protocols in which Alice encodes her key into $N-1$ qubits, in such a way that all the other partners must cooperate in order to retrieve the key. On these protocols, several eavesdropping scenarios are possible: some partners may want to reconstruct the key without the help of the other ones, and consequently collaborate with an Eve that eavesdrops on the other partners' channels. For each of these scenarios, we give the optimal individual attack that the Eve can perform. In case of such an optimal attack, the authorized partners have a higher information on the key than the unauthorized ones if and only if they can violate a Bell's inequality.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figur