Accessibility-based reranking in multimedia search engines

Traditional multimedia search engines retrieve results based mostly on the query submitted by the user, or using a log of previous searches to provide personalized results, while not considering the accessibility of the results for users with vision or other types of impairments. In this paper, a novel approach is presented which incorporates the accessibility of images for users with various vision impairments, such as color blindness, cataract and glaucoma, in order to rerank the results of an image search engine. The accessibility of individual images is measured through the use of vision simulation filters. Multi-objective optimization techniques utilizing the image accessibility scores are used to handle users with multiple vision impairments, while the impairment profile of a specific user is used to select one from the Pareto-optimal solutions. The proposed approach has been tested with two image datasets, using both simulated and real impaired users, and the results verify its applicability. Although the proposed method has been used for vision accessibility-based reranking, it can also be extended for other types of personalization context

Sources of PM2.5-bound water soluble ions at EMEP’s Auchencorth Moss (UK) supersite revealed by 3D-concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) model

The Concentration Weighted Trajectory (CWT) model is a well-known tool which combines the residence time (trajectory points) of air masses over specific regions with ambient concentrations of air pollutants, aiming to identify potential long range transport impacts. An upgraded 3D-version of CWT model (3D-CWT), investigating not only the geographical origin of the exogenous emissions but also the altitudinal layers in which the transport occurs, was developed and coupled with PM2.5-bound concentrations of water soluble ions (nss- SO4-2 (non-sea salt sulfates), NO3-, Cl-, NH4+, Na+, Mg+2, Ca+2, and K+) for the years 2017–2018, derived by the Auchencorth Moss supersite in Southeast Scotland, United Kingdom (UK). The 3D-CWT model was implemented in two distinct altitudinal layers above ground level (0 m ≤ Layer 1 < 1000 m, 1000 m ≤ Layer 2 < 2000 m), because few trajectory points exceeded the 2000 m limit. Transport of Secondary Inorganic Aerosols (SIA) from South – Southeast England were detected in both vertical layers, affecting SO4-2, NO3-, and NH4+ levels, whilst SIA intrusions from Northwest Europe were detected in Layer 2. Sea salt particle transport from North Atlantic and the North Sea, comprising Cl-, Na+ and Mg+2, were detected in both layers whilst K+ contributions from Southeast England were also detected in both layers, suggesting also impacts from biomass burning. Moreover particle transport of a crustal origin, marked by Ca+2 enhancement, mainly occurred in layer 1 and included soil/dust resuspension from areas around the station and infrequent dust intrusions from the Sahara desert

Prediction of Gold Nanoparticle and Microwave-Induced Hyperthermia Effects on Tumor Control via a Simulation Approach

Hyperthermia acts as a powerful adjuvant to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Recent advances show that gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) can mediate highly localized thermal effects upon interaction with laser radiation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate via in silico simulations the mechanisms of Au-NPs and microwave-induced hyperthermia, in correlation to predictions of tumor control (biological endpoints: tumor shrinkage and cell death) after hyperthermia treatment. We also study in detail the dependence of the size, shape and structure of the gold nanoparticles on their absorption efficiency, and provide general guidelines on how one could modify the absorption spectrum of the nanoparticles in order to meet the needs of specific applications. We calculated the hyperthermia effect using two types of Au-NPs and two types of spherical tumors (prostate and melanoma) with a radius of 3 mm. The plasmon peak for the 30 nm Si-core Au-coated NPs and the 20 nm Au-NPs was found at 590 nm and 540 nm, respectively. Considering the plasmon peaks and the distribution of NPs in the tumor tissue, the induced thermal profile was estimated for different intervals of time. Predictions of hyperthermic cell death were performed by adopting a three-state mathematical model, where &#8220;three-state&#8222; includes (i) alive, (ii) vulnerable, and (iii) dead states of the cell, and it was coupled with a tumor growth model. Our proposed methodology and preliminary results could be considered as a proof-of-principle for the significance of simulating accurately the hyperthermia-based tumor control involving the immune system. We also propose a method for the optimization of treatment by overcoming thermoresistance by biological means and specifically through the targeting of the heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), which plays a critical role in the thermotolerance of cells and tissues

Impaired calcium homeostasis is associated with sudden cardiac death and arrhythmias in a genetic equivalent mouse model of the human HRC-Ser96Ala variant

Aims The histidine-rich calcium-binding protein (HRC) Ser96Ala variant has previously been identified as a potential biomarker for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Herein, the role of this variant in cardiac pathophysiology is delineated through a novel mouse model, carrying the human mutation in the homologous mouse position. Methods and results The mouse HRC serine 81, homologous to human HRC serine 96, was mutated to alanine, using knock-in gene targeting. The HRC-Ser81Ala mice presented increased mortality in the absence of structural or histological abnormalities, indicating that early death may be arrhythmia-related. Indeed, under stress-but not baseline-conditions, the HRC-Ser81Ala mice developed ventricular arrhythmias, whilst at the cardiomyocyte level they exhibited increased occurrence of triggered activity. Cardiac contraction was decreased in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro. Additionally, Ca2+ transients and SR Ca2+ load were both reduced suggesting that cytosolic Ca2+ overload is not the underlying proarrhythmic mechanism. Interestingly, total SR Ca2+ leak was increased in HRC-Ser81Ala cardiomyocytes, without an increase in Ca2+ spark and wave frequency. However, Ca2+ wave propagation was significantly slower and the duration of the associated Na/Ca exchange current was increased. Moreover, action potential duration was also increased. Notably, Ca2+/Calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) phosphorylation of the ryanodine receptor was increased, whilst KN-93, an inhibitor of CaMKII, reduced the occurrence of arrhythmias. Conclusions The homologous mutation Ser81Ala in HRC in mice, corresponding to Ser96Ala in humans, is associated with sudden death and depressed cardiac function. Ventricular arrhythmias are related to abnormal Ca2+ cycling across the SR. The data further support a role for CaMKII with the perspective to treat arrhythmias through CaMKII inhibition

Simulation of the transient behavior of matter with characteristic geometrical variations & defects irradiated by nanosecond laser lulses using FEA

Summarization: The thermomechanical transient response of matter illuminated by nanosecond laser pulses is modeled and simulated using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Matter’s behavior is numerically described by a three-dimensional (3D) multiphysics, coupled thermal structural, transient FEA, experimentally validated, model. FEA offers substantial insights into the materials’ micro-mechanical behaviour providing detailed information for the spatiotemporal evolution of acoustic waves. In this computational approach the impact of the geometric characteristics of the modeled metallic films to the generation and propagation of the ultrasonic waves, in relation to temperature, is investigated. The study is expanded to the dynamic reactions of matter in the presence of surface and solid volume defects and enclosures e.g.: gaps, holes or bubbles. The transient behavior of matter in the time and the space solution domains is obtained by the FEA model and presented.Presented on: Key Engineering Material

Incorporating equity as part of the wider impacts in transport infrastructure assessment: an application of the SUMINI approach

The state of the art in appraisal of transport infrastructure (particularly for developed countries) is moving towards inclusivity of a set of wider impacts than has traditionally been the case. In appraisal frameworks generally Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), features as either an alternative to, or complementary with, Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) particularly when assessing a wider set of distributional and other impacts. In that respect it goes some way towards addressing an identified weakness in conventional CBA. This paper proposes a new method to incorporate the wider impacts into the appraisal framework (SUMINI) based upon a composite indicator and MCA. The method is illustrated for a particular example of the wider set of impacts, i.e. equity, through the ex-post assessment of two large EU transport infrastructure (TEN-T) case studies. The results suggest that SUMINI assesses equity impacts well and the case studies highlight the flexibility of the approach in reflecting different policy or project objectives. The research concludes that this method should not be viewed as being in competition with traditional CBA, but that it could be an easily adopted and complementary approach. The value in the research is in providing a new and significant methodological advance to the historically difficult question of how to evaluate equity and other wider impacts. The research is of strong international significance due to the publication of the TEN-Ts review by the European Commission, as well as the transnational nature of large scale interurban transport schemes, the involvement of national and transnational stakeholder groups in the approval and funding of those schemes, the large numbers of population potentially subject to equity and other wider impacts and the degree of variation in the regional objectives and priorities for transport decision makers