Minimizing Illumination Effect in License Plate Recognition

The intelligent transportation system is a key technology for efficient traffic control that has been applied in various fields. The existing intelligent transportation system detects the license plates of vehicles mainly through image feature analysis technology by using image-processing techniques. While this method has the advantage of quickly recognizing license plates by simple computing when the environment for recognizing license plate images is favourable, its accuracy is significantly compromised by various environmental changes. This study proposes a method using Faster region-based CNN (R-CNN) and denoising autoencoder technology to improve the recognition performance for tilted and broken plates and false recognition caused by illumination effects in the access control automation system installed at construction sites where these poor conditions frequently occur. This study investigated 3,000 images collected from actual construction sites, comparing the proposed method with the existing Faster R-CNN for license plates affected by various illumination environments, and found an accuracy improvement of more than 30%

Flow Characteristics Around Step-Up Street Canyons with Various Building Aspect Ratios

We investigate the flow characteristics around step-up street canyons with various building aspect ratios (ratio of along-canyon building length to street-canyon width, and upwind building height to downwind building height) using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. Simulated results are validated against experimental wind-tunnel results, with the CFD simulations conducted under the same building configurations as those in the wind-tunnel experiments. The CFD model reproduces the measured in-canyon vortex, rooftop recirculation zone above the downwind building, and stagnation point position reasonably well. We analyze the flow characteristics, focusing on the structural change of the in-canyon flows and the interaction between the in- and around-canyon flows with the increase of building-length ratio. The in-canyon flows undergo development and mature stages as the building-length ratio increases. In the development stage (i.e., small building-length ratios), the position of the primary vortex wanders, and the incoming flow closely follows both the upstream and downstream building sidewalls. As a result, increasing momentum transfer from the upper layer contributes to a momentum increase in the in-canyon region, and the vorticity in the in-canyon region also increases. In the mature stage (i.e., large building-length ratios), the primary vortex stabilizes in position, and the incoming flow no longer follows the building sidewalls. This causes momentum loss through the street-canyon lateral boundaries. As the building-length ratio increases, momentum transfer from the upper layer slightly decreases, and the reverse flow, updraft, and streamwise flow in the in-canyon region also slightly decrease, resulting in vorticity reduction

Engineering of Klebsiella oxytoca capable of simultaneous utilization of multiple sugars for the production of 2, 3- Butanediol

From various biomasses such as lignocellulose and microalgae, many kinds of monosaccharides including glucose, galactose, xylose, mannose, ribose, rhamnose, and fucose can be obtained. Among them, galactose and xylose are the major carbon sources except for glucose in nature, and both sugars can serve as additive for the production of desired chemicals in the glucose-based fermentation. However, in many microorganisms, the glucose hampers utilization of galactose and xylose until depletion of glucose owing to Carbon Catabolite Repression (CCR) mechanism, which has been a big hurdle for the development of bioprocess utilizing multiple carbon sugars. Here, we developed Klebsiella oxytoca capable of simultaneous utilization of three sugars including glucose, galactose and xylose for the fermentative production of 2,3-butanediol which is a vital platform compound, used as liquid fuel and chemical raw material. To eliminate CCR and utilize multiple sugars, the phosphotransferase system (PTS) which is the main transporter for glucose was disrupted, in which cells could uptake glucose through alternative pathway and the transport system for other sugars could be activated. To verify the removal of CCR by disruption of PTS, the engineered strain was cultivated with two or three sugars and, we found that the simultaneous consumption of galactose and xylose was achieved although glucose consumption rate was decreased a little. At the time point of complete consumption of glucose, most galactose was also consumed and, about 30 % of xylose was consumed before glucose depletion. Under the simultaneous utilization of galactose and xylose along with glucose, 2,3-butaneidol was also successfully produced as high as 0.3 g/g, which yield is similar as that in cultivation with glucose as a sole carbon source. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of CCR elimination in K. oxytoca and, we think that our strategy sheds new light on an engineering of K. oxytoca for commercial exploitation of biomass to produce value-added products

Early Recurring Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Partial Hepatic Resection: Preoperative CT Findings

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of preoperative CT in predicting early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after partial hepatic resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative three-phase helical CT scans in 53 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists. In 27 patients (group I), HCC had recurred within six months, while 26 (group II) had remained disease free for at least two years. In each group, preoperative CT findings were evaluated in each group for the tumor size and number, the presence or absence of capsule, distinctness of tumor margin, perinodular extension, and the presence or absence of portal vein thrombosis. RESULTS: In group I, a tumor capsule of tumor was seen in five of 27 patients (19%), and in group II, in 16 of 26 (62%) (p =.001). The tumor margin was distinct in eight patients (30%) in group I and in 20 (77%) in group II (p =.001). Multiple tumors, perinodular extension, and portal vein thrombosis were more frequently seen in group I but the differences were not statistically significant (p >.05). Tumor size was similar in each group (p >.05). CONCLUSION: Preoperative CT findings that may help predict the early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection are an absence of capsule of tumors and an indistinct margin. Reference to these findings during preoperative CT can guide clinicians in their choice of treatment.ope

Stretchable, Patch-Type, Wireless, 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit for Mobile Health Monitoring

Wearable devices which measure and transfer signals from the human body can provide useful biometric data for various biomedical applications. In this paper, we present an implementation of the advanced Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) with wireless communication technology for mobile health monitoring. The device consists of rigid silicon-based components on a flexible/stretchable substrate for applications in epidermal electronic devices to collect precise data from the human body. Using the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) System-on-a-chip (SoC), the device can be miniaturized and portable, and the collected data can be processed with low power consumption. The dimensions of the implemented system are approximately 40 mm × 40 mm × 100 mm. Also, the device can be attached closely to human skin, which results in minimized signal distortion due to body movements or skin deformations. In order to achieve device flexibility and stretch ability, the interconnection wires are designed as serpentine-shaped structures on a stretchable substrate. The previously reported “cut-and-paste” method is utilized to fabricate the device that produces complex, twisty interconnections with thin metal sheets. The implemented patch-type, wireless, 6-axis IMU is expected to have potential in various applications, such as health monitoring, dependency care, and daily lifelogging

Neck control after definitive radiochemotherapy without planned neck dissection in node-positive head and neck cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to evaluate neck control outcomes after definitive radiochemotherapy without planned neck dissection in node-positive head and neck cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed medical records of fifty patients with node-positive head and neck cancer who received definitive radiochemotherapy. Twelve patients subsequently underwent neck dissection for suspicious recurrent or persistent disease. A median dose of 70 Gy (range 60-70.6) was delivered to involved nodes. Response evaluation was performed at a median of 5 weeks after completion of radiotherapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Neck failure was observed in 11 patients and the 3-year regional control (RC) rate was 77.1%. Neck dissection was performed in 10 of the 11 patients; seven of these cases were successfully salvaged, and the ultimate rate of neck control was 92%. The remaining two patients who received neck dissection had negative pathologic results. On univariate analysis, initial nodal size > 2 cm, a less-than-complete response at the primary site, post-radiotherapy nodal size > 1.5 cm, and post-radiotherapy nodal necrosis were associated with RC. On multivariate analysis, less-than-complete primary site response and post-radiotherapy nodal necrosis were identified as independent prognostic factors for RC.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The neck failure rate after definitive radiochemotherapy without planned neck dissection was 22%. Two-thirds of these were successfully salvaged with neck dissection and the ultimate neck control rate was 92%. Our results suggest that planned neck dissection might not be necessary in patients with complete response of primary site, no evidence of residual lesion > 1.5 cm, or no necrotic lymph nodes at the 1-2 months follow-up evaluation after radiotherapy.</p