Block Based Motion Vector Estimation Using FUHS16, UHDS16 and UHDS8 Algorithms for Video Sequence

Block-matching algorithm is the most common technique applied in block-based motion estimation technique. There are several block-matching algorithm based on block-based motion estimation techniques have been developed. Full search (FS), three step search (TSS), new three step search (NTSS), diamond search (DS) and hexagon based search (HS) are the most well known block-matching algorithm. These techniques are applied to video sequences to remove the temporal redundancy for compression purposes and to gauge the motion vector estimation. In addition, the mentioned block-matching algorithms are the baseline techniques that have been used to further develop all the enhanced or improved algorithms. In order to develop the proposed methods, the baseline techniques are studied to develop the proposed algorithms. This chapter proposes modelling of fast unrestricted hexagon search (FUHS16) and unrestricted hexagon-diamond search (UHDS16) algorithms for motion vector estimation, which is based on the theory and application of block-based motion estimation. Both of these algorithms are designed using 16 × 16 block size. In particular, the motion vector estimation, quality performance, computational complexity, and elapsed processing time are emphasised. These parameters have been used to measure the experimental results. It is the aim of this study that this work provides a common framework with which to evaluate and understand block-based matching motion estimation performance. On the theoretical side, four fundamental issues are explored: (1) division of frame, (2) basic block-based matching, (3) motion vector estimation, and (4) block-matching algorithm development. Various existing block-matching motion estimation algorithms have been analysed to develop the fundamental research. Based on the theoretical and fundamental research analysis the FUHS16 and UHDS16 algorithms using 16 × 16 block-based motion estimation formulations were developed. To improve the UHDS16 algorithm, 8 × 8 block-matching technique has been tested. The 8 × 8 block-matching technique is known as UHDS8. The results show positive improvements. From an application perspective, the UHDS8 algorithm efficiently captured the motion vectors in many video sequences. For example, in video compression, the use of motion vectors on individual macro-blocks optimized the motion vector information. The UHDS8 algorithm also offers improvement in terms of image quality performance, computational complexity and elapsed processing time. Thus, this chapter offers contributions in certain areas such as reducing the mechanism of computational complexity in estimating the motion from the video sequences. In particular, the FUHS16, UHDS16 and UHDS8 algorithms were developed to estimate the motion vectors field in the video sequences. Theoretical analysis block-based matching criteria are adapted to FUHS16, UHDS16 and UHDS8 algorithms, which are based on search points technique. Basically, the proposed of FUHS16, UHDS16 and UHDS8 algorithm produces the best motion vector estimation finding based on the block-based matching criteria. Besides that, the UHDS8 algorithm also improves the image quality performances and the search points in terms of the computational complexity. Overall, the study shows that the UHDS8 algorithm produces better results compared to the FUHS16 and UHDS16 algorithm

The Presidential Business Cycle in the U.S.: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination

The idea of a politically-motivated business cycle is basically a conspiracy theory: office-motivated politicians, seeking to exploit the well-documented relationship between favorable economic news and votes for the incumbent president and his party, manipulate the timing of business cycles for their own electoral gain. This manipulation, theorists maintain, is effected through the use of any of several policy instruments including discretionary federal spending, government transfer payments, and the average tax rate, as well as pressure on the central bank to pursue a more accommodating monetary policy. Theories of such a cycle seem to fall in and out of favor with each passing presidential election. William Nordhaus\u27s pioneering paper, The Political Business Cycle (1975), emerged in the aftermath of Richard Nixon\u27s 1972 re-election campaign, which even a former Nixon speechwriter described as a case of open[ing] the sluices and letting the dollars flow. Edward Tufte, author of Political Control of the Economy, an in-depth analysis of the interdependence of economics and elections, has. acknowledged that Nixon\u27s re-election was the inspiration for his book as well. Currently, after the supply shocks of the mid- and late-1970s, which in 1980 resulted in a (presidential) election-year recession for the first time since 1960, there has been relatively little theoretical work on the \u27political business cycle\u27 for several years. With the re-election of Ronald Reagan in 1984, however, after which some observers claimed they detected a political cycle behind the economic growth patterns of the 1981-84 period , the next few years may well see a resurgence of political business cycle (PBC) literature. In keeping with the present lull in new PBC theories, many economists, in reviews of PBC literature and elsewhere, have been sharply critical of the previous empirical work in this area. James Alt and K. Alec Crystal, in their 1983 book Political Economics. conclude a chapter on PBC\u27 s by noting, No one could read the political business cycle literature without being struck by the lack of supporting evidence. Several other studies, including those of McCallum (197B), Hibbs (1977 and 1978), Golden - Poterba (1980) and Beck (1982 and 1984), reject the notion of a PBC. Joseph Sulock recently conducted replications of several PBC models, all of whose original authors found evidence of a PBC, and reported that most of these models, when updated into the 1970s or even when truncated into a timeframe when political manipulation appeared most likely, performed poorly. Sulock admits, however, that the poor performance of these models may have been due to flaws in the models themselves rather than in the idea behind them. Although much of the criticism of past empirical work on the PBC is well deserved -- indeed, some of these models are shockingly inept a review of both the theoretical and empirical literature on this subject will be necessary before moving on

Field Investigation of Wave and Surge Attenuation in Salt Marsh Vegetation and Wave Climate in a Shallow Estuary

This research investigates and quantifies the effectiveness of salt marsh vegetation in reducing storm-induced waves and surge, and the potential for wetland erosion due to wave action, using field measurements on the Louisiana coast. To quantify wave attenuation and wave energy dissipation by vegetation (Spartina alterniflora), wave data were measured along a transect using pressure transducers during two tropical storms. Measurements showed that incident waves attenuated exponentially over the vegetation. The linear spatial wave height reduction rate increased from 1.5% to 4% /m as incident wave height decreased. The bulk drag coefficient estimated from the field measurements decreased with increasing Reynolds (Re) and Keulegan-Carpenter (KC) numbers. The vegetation-induced wave energy dissipation did not linearly follow incident energy, and the degree of non-linearity varied with the dominant wave frequency. The estimated drag coefficient is shown to be frequency-dependent and is parameterized by a frequency-dependent velocity attenuation parameter inside the canopy. The spectral drag coefficient predicts the frequency-dependent energy dissipation with better accuracy than the integral coefficient. The probability distribution of zero-crossing wave heights attenuated by vegetation was observed to deviate from the Rayleigh distribution and follow the theoretically derived one-parameter Weibull distribution which depends on local wave conditions only. Empirical relationships are developed to estimate the shape parameter from the local wave parameters. Field data collected during Tropical storm Ida (2009) and Lee (2011) showed that the surge attenuated at different rates in two estuaries of different topography. Surge reduction by vegetation was more effective on a large marsh. To quantify the potential for wave action to cause erosion of coastal wetlands, directional wave measurements were collected over a seven-month period. Marsh retreat rates estimated in the study area, using the wave power calculated from the field measurements are on the same order of magnitude of the recent marsh loss monitoring data. The empirical relationships of vegetation drag coefficient and wave height probability distribution function can be used to improve coastal modeling and to estimate characteristic wave heights for the design of coastal defense structures fronted by large swaths of salt marsh vegetation

GBM radiosensitizers: dead in the water…or just the beginning?

The finding that most GBMs recur either near or within the primary site after radiotherapy has fueled great interest in the development of radiosensitizers to enhance local control. Unfortunately, decades of clinical trials testing a wide range of novel therapeutic approaches have failed to yield any clinically viable radiosensitizers. However, many of  the previous radiosensitizing strategies were not based on clear pre-clinical evidence, and in many cases blood-barrier penetration was not considered. Furthermore, DNA repair inhibitors have only recenly arrived in the clinic, and likely represent potent agents for glioma radiosensitization. Here, we present recent progress in the use of small molecule DNA damage response inhibitors as GBM radiosensitizers. In addition, we discuss the latest progress in targeting hypoxia and oxidative stress for GBM radiosensitization

The Presidential Business Cycle in the U.S.: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination

The idea of a politically-motivated business cycle is basically a conspiracy theory: office-motivated politicians, seeking to exploit the well-documented relationship between favorable economic news and votes for the incumbent president and his party, manipulate the timing of business cycles for their own electoral gain. This manipulation, theorists maintain, is effected through the use of any of several policy instruments including discretionary federal spending, government transfer payments, and the average tax rate, as well as pressure on the central bank to pursue a more accommodating monetary policy. Theories of such a cycle seem to fall in and out of favor with each passing presidential election. William Nordhaus\u27s pioneering paper, The Political Business Cycle (1975), emerged in the aftermath of Richard Nixon\u27s 1972 re-election campaign, which even a former Nixon speechwriter described as a case of open[ing] the sluices and letting the dollars flow. Edward Tufte, author of Political Control of the Economy, an in-depth analysis of the interdependence of economics and elections, has. acknowledged that Nixon\u27s re-election was the inspiration for his book as well. Currently, after the supply shocks of the mid- and late-1970s, which in 1980 resulted in a (presidential) election-year recession for the first time since 1960, there has been relatively little theoretical work on the \u27political business cycle\u27 for several years. With the re-election of Ronald Reagan in 1984, however, after which some observers claimed they detected a political cycle behind the economic growth patterns of the 1981-84 period , the next few years may well see a resurgence of political business cycle (PBC) literature. In keeping with the present lull in new PBC theories, many economists, in reviews of PBC literature and elsewhere, have been sharply critical of the previous empirical work in this area. James Alt and K. Alec Crystal, in their 1983 book Political Economics. conclude a chapter on PBC\u27 s by noting, No one could read the political business cycle literature without being struck by the lack of supporting evidence. Several other studies, including those of McCallum (197B), Hibbs (1977 and 1978), Golden - Poterba (1980) and Beck (1982 and 1984), reject the notion of a PBC. Joseph Sulock recently conducted replications of several PBC models, all of whose original authors found evidence of a PBC, and reported that most of these models, when updated into the 1970s or even when truncated into a timeframe when political manipulation appeared most likely, performed poorly. Sulock admits, however, that the poor performance of these models may have been due to flaws in the models themselves rather than in the idea behind them. Although much of the criticism of past empirical work on the PBC is well deserved -- indeed, some of these models are shockingly inept a review of both the theoretical and empirical literature on this subject will be necessary before moving on

Tobacco Farming, Addiction, Promotion of Gender Equality, Well-being and Monopoly of the Indian Market

Women\u27s land rights are still suppressed in India because men hold most of the land, and men decide what crops to grow. Tobacco use and farming are both detriments to one’s health. It causes cancer, and cancer treatment is unavailable in the majority of India\u27s remote areas. On the other hand, tobacco is grown in remote regions of India, and cancer hospitals are concentrated in major cities. There are eight states in India\u27s north-eastern region, but only one cancer treatment facility in Guwahati, Assam. There is a need for new cancer hospitals in the north-eastern part of the country, where there is just one cancer hospital for eight states. Mindfulness training and tobacco harmful effects awareness education should be integrated into the educational curriculum and community centres. The school curriculum should include more mindfulness and psychoeducation about tobacco\u27s detrimental effects. The pandemic situation in India and elsewhere make any community-based response difficult right now. Some parts of India, such as A&I Island, the North-Eastern region of India, and J&K, lack high-speed internet connectivity; therefore, radio, television, audio CDs, audio files, recorded videos, reading materials, and cell phones may be the best ways to reach out. Internet-based outreach is another option. A non-governmental organisation (NGO) or other organisation would be required to create regional language reading material, audio files, and video files. Given the global pandemic crisis, such programmes must be put in place as soon as possible. A team of specialists, regional language experts, local cultural experts, and volunteers would be needed to achieve these objectives

Origin of negative differential resistance in a strongly coupled single molecule-metal junction device

A new mechanism is proposed to explain the origin of negative differential resistance (NDR) in a strongly coupled single molecule-metal junction. A first-principles quantum transport calculation in a Fe-terpyridine linker molecule sandwiched between a pair of gold electrodes is presented. Upon increasing applied bias, it is found that a new phase in the broken symmetry wavefunction of the molecule emerges from the mixing of occupied and unoccupied molecular orbital. As a consequence, a non-linear change in the coupling between molecule and lead is evolved resulting to NDR. This model can be used to explain NDR in other class of metal-molecule junction device.Comment: Submitted for review on Feb 4, 200