3D- Discrete Cosine Transform For Image Compression

Image compression addresses the problem of reducing the amount of data required to represent a digital image called the redundant data. The underlying basis of the reduction process is the removal of redundant data. The redundancy used here is pschychovisual redundancy. 3D-DCT video compression algorithm takes a full-motion digital video stream and divides it into groups of 8 frames. Each group of 8 frames is considered as a three-dimensional image, which includes 2 spatial components and one temporal component. Each frame in the image is divided into 8x8 blocks (like JPEG), forming 8x8x8 cubes. Each 8x8x8 cube is then independently encoded using the 3D-DCT algorithm: 3D-DCT, Quantizer, and Entropy encoder. A 3D DCT is made up of a set of 8 frames at a time. Image compression is one of the processes in image processing which minimizes the size in bytes of a graphics file without degrading the quality of the image to an unacceptable level. The reduction in file size allows more images to be stored in a given amount of disk or memory space. Keywords: 2D DCT, 3D DCT, JPEG, GIF, C

Quality Assessment of Resultant Images after Processing

Image quality is a characteristic of an image that measures the perceived image degradation, typically, compared to an ideal or perfect image. Imaging systems may introduce some amounts of distortion or artifacts in the signal, so the quality assessment is an important problem.  Processing of images involves complicated steps. The aim of any processing result is to get a processed image which is very much same as the original. It includes image restoration, enhancement, compression and many more. To find if the reconstructed image after compression has lost the originality is found by assessing the quality of the image. Traditional perceptual image quality assessment approaches are based on measuring the errors (signal differences between the distorted and the reference images and attempt to quantify the errors in a way that simulates human visual error sensitivity features. A discussion is proposed here in order to assess the quality of the compressed image and the relevant information of the processed image is found. Keywords: Reference methods, Quality Assessment, Lateral chromatic aberration, Root Mean Squared Error, Peak Signal to Noise Ratio, Signal to Noise Ratio, Human Visual System

α-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles: An Efficient, Inexpensive Catalyst for the one-pot Preparation of 3,4-dihydropyrano[c]chromenes

This paper describes the combustion synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanopowder at much lower temperature and its catalytic activity for the one-pot preparation of 3,4-dihydropyrano[c]chromenes. The combustion derived α-Fe2O3 nanopowder was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Braunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Highly efficient, three-component condensation of aromatic aldehyde, malanonitrile and 4-hydroxycoumarin catalyzed by α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles at room temperature is described. The method offers an excellent alternative to the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrano[c]chromenes. The reactions are rapid, clean, and the products with good yield and high purity

Healthy blue man: congenital methemoglobinemia

Congenital methemoglobinemia, though often discussed in medical teachings is rarely encountered in clinical practice as the condition is asymptomatic. Here we present such a case and discuss in detail the clinical presentation of both congenital and acquired methemoglobinemia. We also outlined the management of the conditions. One should suspect methemoglobinemia when cyanosis is not being corrected by supplementing oxygen and and when the oxygen saturation is low by pulse oximetry and normal by arterial blood gas analysis. Treatment modalities for congenital methemoglobinemia is of cosmetic purpose, but timely intervention in acquired methemoglobinemia could be lifesaving. Methylene blue, Ascorbic acid and Riboflavin are drugs of choice

Hypovitamanosis D and non cardiac chest pain

Background: Recurrent atypical chest pain not due to cardiac illness is a very common condition in medical outpatient departments. Authors found that people consulting for atypical chest pain often have significant Vitamin D deficiency and correction of Vitamin D deficiency relieved patient symptoms. Hence authors carried out this study.Methods: Persons aged below 50 years were taken up for study. Those attending medical clinics with complaints of chest pain occurring more than two times were taken up for study. Cardiac illness was excluded by clinical examination and investigations. Those found to have low Vitamin D were taken up for study. 60,000 international units Vitamin D was administered orally weekly for 8 weeks. They were followed up twice weekly for three months and once monthly for three months.Results: Results were analyzed and charted. 120 subjects were taken up for study and duration of study was three years. Average age of the study group was 37.50 years and the average Vitamin D level was 15.75 nanogram/ml (ngm/ml). Duration of chest pain ranged from one week to one year. Most of the patients had migratory chest pain.Conclusions: As Vitamin D deficiency is a treatable medical condition it may be prudent to check Vitamin D levels in the patients presenting with recurrent atypical pain in the chest. It reduces the burden on the health care system and relieves the suffering of the patient. It may not be futile to check Vitamin D levels even in the patients with coronary artery disease who are suffering from atypical chest pain

Oxygen Transport Ceramic Membranes

In the present quarter, experiments are presented on ceramic/metal interactions of Zirconia/ Ni-B-Si system and with a thin Ti coating deposited on zirconia surface. Existing facilities were modified for evaluation of environmental assisted slow crack growth and creep in flexural mode. Processing of perovskites of LSC, LSF and LSCF composition were continued for evaluation of mechanical properties as a function of environment. These studies in parallel to those on the LSFCO composition is expect to yield important information on questions such as the role of cation segregation and the stability of the perovskite structure on crack initiation vs. crack growth. Studies have been continued on the La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}FeO{sub 3-d} composition using neutron diffraction and TGA studies. A transition from p-type to n-type of conductor was observed at relative low pO{sub 2}, at which the majority carriers changed from the holes to electrons because of the valence state decreases in Fe due to the further loss of oxygen. Investigation on the thermodynamic properties of the membrane materials are continued to develop a complete model for the membrane transport. Data obtained at 850 C show that the stoichiometry in La{sub 0.2}Sr{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.8}Cr{sub 0.2}O{sub 3-x} vary from {approx}2.85 to 2.6 over the pressure range studied. From the stoichiometry a lower limit of 2.6 corresponding to the reduction of all Fe{sup 4+} to Fe{sup 3+} and no reduction of Cr{sup 3+} is expected

Use of mebendazole in combination with DEC in bancroftian filariasis

A pilot study was conducted in an endemic village for bancroftian filariasis to find out the compliance and antifilarial action of large doses of mebendazole (30 mg/kg/day). Thirty eight patients with early clinical filariasis and 16 with asymptomatic microfilaraemia were treated, under supervision. ‘The compliance for drug consumption was high and there were no serious adverse reactions. Majority of the side effects were gastrointestinal and mild. The drug, in combination with diethylcarbamazine (DEC), showed microfilaricidal effect, but the effect was similar to that seen with DEC alone. In as many as 5 of the 13, who were followed at 1 yr, microfilaria persisted at the end of 1 yr, though with a reduced density. Prolonged (1 yr) treatment with mebendazole in combination with DEC did not have a beneficial effect in most patients with clinical disease

Food Choice Motives among the Students of a Dental Institution in Mysore City, India

Background: In pursuit of a more gholistich dentistry and an increasing focus on promoting oral health, dental students are increasingly being trained to take a more active part in health promotion and education. In particular, this incorporates an emphasis on diet and educating people to eat in more healthy ways.Aim: This paper works from the premise that if dental students are toengage in oral health promotion, they will do so more effectively if they have first explored their own food choice motivations. Subjects and Methods: A descriptive, cross.sectional questionnaire study. The food choice questionnaire (FCQ) was distributed to a comparative  group of 1st and 5th year dental students in timetabled lecture slots. The FCQ is a previously validated measure designed to assess ten main factors relevant to peoplesh food choices. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 (Chicago, IL, USA) using descriptive statistics and  independent sample t-test.Results: Nearly 77% (122/159) students responded. Findings were  analyzed using independent sample t-test. Results indicated statistically significant differences in terms of food choice motivations between male and female students of 1st and 5th year.Conclusion: Awareness and an understanding of the differences in  motivational factors affecting food choice between dental students is important as they are increasingly taught to play an active role in oral health promotion. Keywords: Africa, Food, Oral healt

Ion beam-induced luminescence and photoluminescence of 100 MeV Si8+ ion irradiated kyanite single crystals

lonoluminescence (IL) of kyanite single crystals during 100 MeV Si8+ ion irradiation has been studied in the fluence range 1.87-7.50 x 10(11) ions/cm(2). Photoluminescence (PL) of similar dimensional crystals was recorded with same ions and energy in the fluence range 1 x 10(11) -5 x 10(13) ions/cm(2) with an excitation of 442 non He-Cd laser beam. A sharp IL and broad PL peaks at similar to 689 and 706 run were recorded. This is attributed to luminescence centers activated by Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions. It is observed that up to a given fluence, the IL and PL peak intensities increase with increase of Si8+ ion fluence. The stability of the chemical species was Studied on with and without irradiated samples by means of FT-IR spectroscopy. The results confirm that the O-Si-H type bonds covering on the surface of the sample. This layer might be acting as a protective layer and there by reducing the number of non-radiative recombination centers. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved