4,609 research outputs found
Stereo Computation for a Single Mixture Image
This paper proposes an original problem of \emph{stereo computation from a
single mixture image}-- a challenging problem that had not been researched
before. The goal is to separate (\ie, unmix) a single mixture image into two
constitute image layers, such that the two layers form a left-right stereo
image pair, from which a valid disparity map can be recovered. This is a
severely illposed problem, from one input image one effectively aims to recover
three (\ie, left image, right image and a disparity map). In this work we give
a novel deep-learning based solution, by jointly solving the two subtasks of
image layer separation as well as stereo matching. Training our deep net is a
simple task, as it does not need to have disparity maps. Extensive experiments
demonstrate the efficacy of our method.Comment: Accepted by European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV) 201
Separating Reflection and Transmission Images in the Wild
The reflections caused by common semi-reflectors, such as glass windows, can
impact the performance of computer vision algorithms. State-of-the-art methods
can remove reflections on synthetic data and in controlled scenarios. However,
they are based on strong assumptions and do not generalize well to real-world
images. Contrary to a common misconception, real-world images are challenging
even when polarization information is used. We present a deep learning approach
to separate the reflected and the transmitted components of the recorded
irradiance, which explicitly uses the polarization properties of light. To
train it, we introduce an accurate synthetic data generation pipeline, which
simulates realistic reflections, including those generated by curved and
non-ideal surfaces, non-static scenes, and high-dynamic-range scenes.Comment: accepted at ECCV 201
Identification of Boundary Conditions Using Natural Frequencies
The present investigation concerns a disc of varying thickness of whose
flexural stiffness varies with the radius according to the law , where and are constants. The problem of finding boundary
conditions for fastening this disc, which are inaccessible to direct
observation, from the natural frequencies of its axisymmetric flexural
oscillations is considered. The problem in question belongs to the class of
inverse problems and is a completely natural problem of identification of
boundary conditions. The search for the unknown conditions for fastening the
disc is equivalent to finding the span of the vectors of unknown conditions
coefficients. It is shown that this inverse problem is well posed. Two theorems
on the uniqueness and a theorem on stability of the solution of this problem
are proved, and a method for establishing the unknown conditions for fastening
the disc to the walls is indicated. An approximate formula for determining the
unknown conditions is obtained using first three natural frequencies. The
method of approximate calculation of unknown boundary conditions is explained
with the help of three examples of different cases for the fastening the disc
(rigid clamping, free support, elastic fixing).
Keywords: Boundary conditions, a disc of varying thickness,inverse problem,
Plucker condition.Comment: 19 page
Quantum walks can find a marked element on any graph
We solve an open problem by constructing quantum walks that not only detect
but also find marked vertices in a graph. In the case when the marked set
consists of a single vertex, the number of steps of the quantum walk is
quadratically smaller than the classical hitting time of any
reversible random walk on the graph. In the case of multiple marked
elements, the number of steps is given in terms of a related quantity
which we call extended hitting time.
Our approach is new, simpler and more general than previous ones. We
introduce a notion of interpolation between the random walk and the
absorbing walk , whose marked states are absorbing. Then our quantum walk
is simply the quantum analogue of this interpolation. Contrary to previous
approaches, our results remain valid when the random walk is not
state-transitive. We also provide algorithms in the cases when only
approximations or bounds on parameters (the probability of picking a
marked vertex from the stationary distribution) and are
known.Comment: 50 page
Ewens measures on compact groups and hypergeometric kernels
On unitary compact groups the decomposition of a generic element into product
of reflections induces a decomposition of the characteristic polynomial into a
product of factors. When the group is equipped with the Haar probability
measure, these factors become independent random variables with explicit
distributions. Beyond the known results on the orthogonal and unitary groups
(O(n) and U(n)), we treat the symplectic case. In U(n), this induces a family
of probability changes analogous to the biassing in the Ewens sampling formula
known for the symmetric group. Then we study the spectral properties of these
measures, connected to the pure Fisher-Hartvig symbol on the unit circle. The
associated orthogonal polynomials give rise, as tends to infinity to a
limit kernel at the singularity.Comment: New version of the previous paper "Hua-Pickrell measures on general
compact groups". The article has been completely re-written (the presentation
has changed and some proofs have been simplified). New references added
A Stochastic Approach to Shortcut Bridging in Programmable Matter
In a self-organizing particle system, an abstraction of programmable matter,
simple computational elements called particles with limited memory and
communication self-organize to solve system-wide problems of movement,
coordination, and configuration. In this paper, we consider a stochastic,
distributed, local, asynchronous algorithm for "shortcut bridging", in which
particles self-assemble bridges over gaps that simultaneously balance
minimizing the length and cost of the bridge. Army ants of the genus Eciton
have been observed exhibiting a similar behavior in their foraging trails,
dynamically adjusting their bridges to satisfy an efficiency trade-off using
local interactions. Using techniques from Markov chain analysis, we rigorously
analyze our algorithm, show it achieves a near-optimal balance between the
competing factors of path length and bridge cost, and prove that it exhibits a
dependence on the angle of the gap being "shortcut" similar to that of the ant
bridges. We also present simulation results that qualitatively compare our
algorithm with the army ant bridging behavior. Our work gives a plausible
explanation of how convergence to globally optimal configurations can be
achieved via local interactions by simple organisms (e.g., ants) with some
limited computational power and access to random bits. The proposed algorithm
also demonstrates the robustness of the stochastic approach to algorithms for
programmable matter, as it is a surprisingly simple extension of our previous
stochastic algorithm for compression.Comment: Published in Proc. of DNA23: DNA Computing and Molecular Programming
- 23rd International Conference, 2017. An updated journal version will appear
in the DNA23 Special Issue of Natural Computin
Mindfulness-based stress reduction in Parkinsonâs disease: a systematic review
Background:
Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) is increasingly being used to improve outcomes such as stress and depression in a range of long-term conditions (LTCs). While systematic reviews on MBSR have taken place for a number of conditions there remains limited information on its impact on individuals with Parkinsonâs disease (PD).
Methods:
Medline, Central, Embase, Amed, CINAHAL were searched in March 2016. These databases were searched using a combination of MeSH subject headings where available and keywords in the title and abstracts. We also searched the reference lists of related reviews. Study quality was assessed based on questions from the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool.
Results:
Two interventions and three papers with a total of 66 participants were included. The interventions were undertaken in Belgium (n = 27) and the USA (n = 39). One study reported significantly increased grey matter density (GMD) in the brains of the MBSR group compared to the usual care group. Significant improvements were reported in one study for a number of outcomes including PD outcomes, depression, mindfulness, and quality of life indicators. Only one intervention was of reasonable quality and both interventions failed to control for potential confounders in the analysis. Adverse events and reasons for drop-outs were not reported. There was also no reporting on the costs/benefits of the intervention or how they affected health service utilisation.
Conclusion:
This systematic review found limited and inconclusive evidence of the effectiveness of MBSR for PD patients. Both of the included interventions claimed positive effects for PD patients but significant outcomes were often contradicted by other results. Further trials with larger sample sizes, control groups and longer follow-ups are needed before the evidence for MBSR in PD can be conclusively judged
Comparison of Short-Term Estrogenicity Tests for Identification of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
The aim of this study was to compare results obtained by eight different short-term assays of estrogenlike actions of chemicals conducted in 10 different laboratories in five countries. Twenty chemicals were selected to represent direct-acting estrogens, compounds with estrogenic metabolites, estrogenic antagonists, and a known cytotoxic agent. Also included in the test panel were 17ÎČ-estradiol as a positive control and ethanol as solvent control. The test compounds were coded before distribution. Test methods included direct binding to the estrogen receptor (ER), proliferation of MCF-7 cells, transient reporter gene expression in MCF-7 cells, reporter gene expression in yeast strains stably transfected with the human ER and an estrogen-responsive reporter gene, and vitellogenin production in juvenile rainbow trout. 17ÎČ-Estradiol, 17α-ethynyl estradiol, and diethylstilbestrol induced a strong estrogenic response in all test systems. Colchicine caused cytotoxicity only. Bisphenol A induced an estrogenic response in all assays. The results obtained for the remaining test compoundsâtamoxifen, ICI 182.780, testosterone, bisphenol A dimethacrylate, 4-n-octylphenol, 4-n-nonylphenol, nonylphenol dodecylethoxylate, butylbenzylphthalate, dibutylphthalate, methoxychlor, o,pâČ-DDT, p,pâČ-DDE, endosulfan, chlomequat chloride, and ethanolâvaried among the assays. The results demonstrate that careful standardization is necessary to obtain a reasonable degree of reproducibility. Also, similar methods vary in their sensitivity to estrogenic compounds. Thus, short-term tests are useful for screening purposes, but the methods must be further validated by additional interlaboratory and interassay comparisons to document the reliability of the methods
What is the Evidence for the Color Glass Condensate?
I introduce the concept of the Color Glass Condensate. I review data from
HERA and RHIC which suggest that such a universal form of matter has been
found
Deep Inelastic Scattering in Conformal QCD
We consider the Regge limit of a CFT correlation function of two vector and
two scalar operators, as appropriate to study small-x deep inelastic scattering
in N=4 SYM or in QCD assuming approximate conformal symmetry. After clarifying
the nature of the Regge limit for a CFT correlator, we use its conformal
partial wave expansion to obtain an impact parameter representation encoding
the exchange of a spin j Reggeon for any value of the coupling constant. The
CFT impact parameter space is the three-dimensional hyperbolic space H3, which
is the impact parameter space for high energy scattering in the dual AdS space.
We determine the small-x structure functions associated to the exchange of a
Reggeon. We discuss unitarization from the point of view of scattering in AdS
and comment on the validity of the eikonal approximation.
We then focus on the weak coupling limit of the theory where the amplitude is
dominated by the exchange of the BFKL pomeron. Conformal invariance fixes the
form of the vector impact factor and its decomposition in transverse spin 0 and
spin 2 components. Our formalism reproduces exactly the general results predict
by the Regge theory, both for a scalar target and for gamma*-gamma* scattering.
We compute current impact factors for the specific examples of N=4 SYM and QCD,
obtaining very simple results. In the case of the R-current of N=4 SYM, we show
that the transverse spin 2 component vanishes. We conjecture that the impact
factors of all chiral primary operators of N=4 SYM only have components with 0
transverse spin.Comment: 44+16 pages, 7 figures. Some correction
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