Editorial -Special issue on adaptive multimedia computing

In recent years, there is an emerging research area in multimedia computing, with the increasing number of related work in scalable video, adaptive multimedia documents, adaptive multimedia services, to name just a few. This new trend comes about partly due to the increasing use of mobile media devices where media requirements could change among users and devices and at different times of reception or presentation, and partly due to the changing network conditions, where best-effort service is the general practice. Any change in Quality of Services (QoS) could imply a change in the delivery or scheduling of media contents. To complicate the matter, user interruptions or requirement changes during the communication process could also occur; for example, a user may not be satisfied with the current media quality and decide an upgrade in real time. The status quo is that this new research paradigm is beginning to take shape while no effort has been made to draw a roadmap for it. We could see some major research work missing, for example, formal methods or modeling of adaptive multimedi

Recursive Percentage based Hybrid Pattern Training for Supervised Learning

Supervised learning algorithms, often used to find the I/O relationship in data, have the tendency to be trapped in local optima as opposed to the desirable global optima. In this paper, we discuss the RPHP learning algorithm. The algorithm uses Real Coded Genetic Algorithm based global and local searches to find a set of pseudo global optimal solutions. Each pseudo global optimum is a local optimal solution from the point of view of all the patterns but globally optimal from the point of view of a subset of patterns. Together with RPHP, a Kth nearest neighbor algorithm is used as a second level pattern distributor to solve a test pattern. We also show theoretically the condition under which finding several pseudo global optimal solutions requires a shorter training time than finding a single global optimal solution. As the difficulty of curve fitting problems is easily estimated, we verify the capability of the RPHP algorithm against them and compare the RPHP algorithm with three counterparts to show the benefits of hybrid learning and active recursive subset selection. The RPHP shows a clear superiority in performance. We conclude our paper by identifying possible loopholes in the RPHP algorithm and proposing possible solutions

Novel Compact and High Selectivity Dual-band BPF with Wide Stopband

A novel type of compact and high selectivity dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) incorporating a dual-mode defected ground structure resonator (DDGSR) and a dual-mode open-stub loaded stepped impedance resonator (DOLSIR) is proposed in this paper. Utilizing capacitive source-load coupling and the intrinsic characteristics of the two types of dual-mode resonators, compact dual-band BPF with multi transmission zeros near the passband edges as well as a wide stopband which can be used to achieve high selectivity is realized. An experimental dual-band BPF located at 2.4 and 3.2 GHz was designed and fabricated. The validity of the design approach is verified by good agreement between simulated and measurement results

Agent fabrication and its implementation for agent-based electronic commerce

In the last decade, agent-based e-commerce has emerged as a potential role for the next generation of e-commerce. How to create agents for e-commerce applications has become a serious consideration in this field. This paper proposes a new scheme named agent fabrication and elaborates its implementation in multi-agent systems based on the SAFER (Secure Agent Fabrication, Evolution & Roaming) architecture. First, a conceptual structure is proposed for software agents carrying out e-commerce activities. Furthermore, agent module suitcase is defined to facilitate agent fabrication. With these definitions and facilities in the SAFER architecture, the formalities of agent fabrication are elaborated. In order to enhance the security of agent-based e-commerce, an infrastructure of agent authorization and authentication is integrated in agent fabrication. Our implementation and prototype applications show that the proposed agent fabrication scheme brings forth a potential solution for creating agents in agent-based e-commerce applications

Bayesian optimization for the inverse scattering problem in quantum reaction dynamics

We propose a machine-learning approach based on Bayesian optimization to build global potential energy surfaces (PES) for reactive molecular systems using feedback from quantum scattering calculations. The method is designed to correct for the uncertainties of quantum chemistry calculations and yield potentials that reproduce accurately the reaction probabilities in a wide range of energies. These surfaces are obtained automatically and do not require manual fitting of the {\it ab initio} energies with analytical functions. The PES are built from a small number of {\it ab initio} points by an iterative process that incrementally samples the most relevant parts of the configuration space. Using the dynamical results of previous authors as targets, we show that such feedback loops produce accurate global PES with 30 {\it ab initio} energies for the three-dimensional H + H$_2$ $\rightarrow$ H$_2$ + H reaction and 290 {\it ab initio} energies for the six-dimensional OH + H$_2$ $\rightarrow$ H$_2$O + H reaction. These surfaces are obtained from 360 scattering calculations for H$_3$ and 600 scattering calculations for OH$_3$. We also introduce a method that quickly converges to an accurate PES without the {\it a priori} knowledge of the dynamical results. By construction, our method illustrates the lowest number of potential energy points (i.e. the minimum information) required for the non-parametric construction of global PES for quantum reactive scattering calculations.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Two problems related to prescribed curvature measures

Existence of convex body with prescribed generalized curvature measures is discussed, this result is obtained by making use of Guan-Li-Li's innovative techniques. In surprise, that methods has also brought us to promote Ivochkina's $C^2$ estimates for prescribed curvature equation in \cite{I1, I}.Comment: 12 pages, Corrected typo

Estimating daily nitrogen dioxide level: Exploring traffic effects

Data used to assess acute health effects from air pollution typically have good temporal but poor spatial resolution or the opposite. A modified longitudinal model was developed that sought to improve resolution in both domains by bringing together data from three sources to estimate daily levels of nitrogen dioxide ($\mathrm {NO}_2$) at a geographic location. Monthly $\mathrm {NO}_2$ measurements at 316 sites were made available by the Study of Traffic, Air quality and Respiratory health (STAR). Four US Environmental Protection Agency monitoring stations have hourly measurements of $\mathrm {NO}_2$. Finally, the Connecticut Department of Transportation provides data on traffic density on major roadways, a primary contributor to $\mathrm {NO}_2$ pollution. Inclusion of a traffic variable improved performance of the model, and it provides a method for estimating exposure at points that do not have direct measurements of the outcome. This approach can be used to estimate daily variation in levels of $\mathrm {NO}_2$ over a region.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/13-AOAS642 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Integrable impurities for an open fermion chain

Employing the graded versions of the Yang-Baxter equation and the reflection equations, we construct two kinds of integrable impurities for a small-polaron model with general open boundary conditions: (a) we shift the spectral parameter of the local Lax operator at arbitrary sites in the bulk, and (b) we embed the impurity fermion vertex at each boundary of the chain. The Hamiltonians with different types of impurity terms are given explicitly. The Bethe ansatz equations, as well as the eigenvalues of the Hamiltonians, are constructed by means of the quantum inverse scattering method. In addition, we discuss the ground-state properties in the thermodynamic limit.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

Time-dependent density functional study of the electronic potential energy curves and excitation spectrum of the oxygen molecule

Orbital energies, ionization potentials, molecular constants, potential energy curves, and the excitation spectrum of O(2) are calculated using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with Tamm-Dancoff approximation (TDA). The calculated negative highest occupied molecular orbital energy (-epsilon(HOMO)) is compared with the energy difference ionization potential for five exchange correlation functionals consisting of the local density approximation (LDAxc), gradient corrected Becke exchange plus Perdew correlation (B(88X)+P(86C)), gradient regulated asymptotic correction (GRAC), statistical average of orbital potentials (SAOP), and van Leeuwen and Baerends asymptotically correct potential (LB94). The potential energy curves calculated using TDDFT with the TDA at internuclear distances from 1.0 to 1.8 A are divided into three groups according to the electron configurations. The 1pi(u) (4)1pi(g) (2) electron configuration gives rise to the X (3)Sigma(g) (-), a (1)Delta(g), and b (1)Sigma(g) (+) states; the 1pi(u) (3)1pi(g) (3) electron configuration gives rise to the c (1)Sigma(u) (-), C (3)Delta(u), and A (3)Sigma(u) (+) states; and the B (3)Sigma(u) (-), A (1)Delta(u), and f (1)Sigma(u) (+) states are determined by the mixing of two or more electron configurations. The excitation spectrum of the oxygen molecule, calculated with the aforementioned exchange correlation functionals, shows that the results are quite sensitive to the choice of functional. The LDAxc and the B(88X)+P(86C) functionals produce similar spectroscopic patterns with a single strongly absorbing band positioned at 19.82 and 19.72 eV, respectively, while the asymptotically corrected exchange correlation functionals of the SAOP and the LB94 varieties yield similar excitation spectra where the computed strongly absorbing band is located at 16.09 and 16.42 eV, respectively. However, all of the exchange correlation functionals yield only one strongly absorbing band (oscillator strength greater than 0.1) in the energy interval of 0-20 eV, which is assigned to a X (3)Sigma(g) (-) to (3)Sigma(u) (-) transition. Furthermore, the oxygen molecule has a rich spectrum in the energy range of 14-20 eV and no spin allowed absorption bands are predicted to be observed in the range of 0-6 eV

Phased Array Systems in Silicon

Phased array systems, a special case of MIMO systems, take advantage of spatial directivity and array gain to increase spectral efficiency. Implementing a phased array system at high frequency in a commercial silicon process technology presents several challenges. This article focuses on the architectural and circuit-level trade-offs involved in the design of the first silicon-based fully integrated phased array system operating at 24 GHz. The details of some of the important circuit building blocks are also discussed. The measured results demonstrate the feasibility of using integrated phased arrays for wireless communication and vehicular radar applications at 24 GHz