Reconstruction Improvements on Compressed Sensing

This paper presents the design of Improvements on Reconstruction of Compressive Sensed images. The proposed techniques will improve the reconstruction time consumption. Those improvements use techniques including matrix simplification, multi-thread and GPU computations.  Implementing those improvements achieve gains on time consumption, compared to the baseline. This paper also presents a novel scheme of buffering steamed image (video) to achieve optimum performance

Continued Efforts in TI ARM M4 Microcontroller Curricula Developments and Assessments Between Three Different Institutions and Programs

This project is a continuation in efforts to upgrade the curricula in microcontroller related courses that are facing difficulties in the disappearing and lack technical supports in hardware and software of 68XXX and 80XXX microcontrollers. Through the study of a NSF supported project Transform the Innovated Design and Development of an Embedded Design Training System and Associated Support Curricula into a Commercial Available Product that interviewed 130 faculty/teachers/students across the U.S. has revealed on finding newly available microcontrollers is an urgent issue in the academic communities. Based on the supports on hardware and software and function libraries, the TI ARM M4 core is the choice for the join efforts in the new curriculum development and assessment between Old Dominion University, Farmingdale State College, Prairie View A&M University, and Ohio Northern University within the programs of CET, ECE, EET, and Tech Studies. The efforts were also a direct response to the industries suggestions and the needs of 32 bits ARM microcontroller’s skills from engineer and technology programs graduates to fill the job markets. This article presents a study and comparison that introduce a concept of collaborated efforts among different institutions and programs can work together to develop the comprehensive ARM curricula that fit the industry’s needs. These curricula development efforts are not only aim at on-campus face-to-face teaching and learning but also distance hands-on learning through delivering course modules using both synchronous and asynchronous. The assessment of this jointed efforts are part of the studies. Engineering and technology programs focus on both hands-on and mind-on design work and this article demonstrates the collaborated efforts in advanced curriculum development in the ARM microcontroller which is the key ingredient for success. Through the development efforts and online Learning Management System (LMS) designs that make the distance collaboration, delivery, and cyber-enabled learning possible. These efforts not only benefit the interested faculty/teachers in better teaching and learning, but also support the students who can learn more advanced technical concepts that are needed for emerging high-tech job skills. Highlights of the presentation will address the following: • Research and development of the virtual classrooms and open source service server. • Design and development of the supported material. • Implementation strategies and planning for the distance hands-on approach. • Assessment of the teaching and learning. • Recommendations of potential adoption of the development. • Continuous improvement of teaching and learning in academic community

Cyber-Physical Systems: A Literature Review

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are smart systems that depend on the synergy of cyber and physical components. They link the physical world (e.g. through sensors, actuators, robotics, and embedded systems) with the virtual world of information processing. Applications of CPS have the tremendous potential of improving convenience, comfort, and safety in our daily life. This paper provides a brief introduction to CPSs and their applications

Conjunctival Flap Covering Combined with Antiviral and Steroid Therapy for Severe Herpes Simplex Virus Necrotizing Stromal Keratitis

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) necrotizing stromal keratitis is a common type of herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK). Antiviral medication alone cannot control the disease, and corticosteroid eye drops may aggravate the ulcer and result in corneal perforation. Amniotic membrane transplantation effectively treats superficial corneal ulcer resulting from necrotizing stromal HSK. However, the efficacy of this approach seems to be limited for more serious cases. This study presented the clinical treatment of severe HSV necrotizing stromal keratitis (ulcer depth greater than half of the corneal stroma) by conjunctival flap covering surgery in 25 patients (25 eyes) combined with antivirus and corticosteroid treatment at Shandong Eye Hospital from January 2007 to December 2013. Clinical results showed that the mean best spectacle-corrected visual acuity improved from preoperative 20/333 to postoperative 20/40 (P<0.05). All patients recovered ocular surface stabilization. There was recurrence in two eyes, which was cured with antiviral medication. Conjunctival flap covering combined with antivirus and corticosteroid treatment is effective in treating severe HSV necrotizing stromal keratitis

Linking Safety-Specific Leader Reward and Punishment Omission to Safety Compliance Behavior: The Role of Distributive Justice and Role Ambiguity

Background: Although positive safety leadership has attracted increasingly academic and practical attention due to its critical effects on followers' safety compliance behavior, far fewer steps have been taken to study the safety impact of laissez-faire leadership. Objective: This study examines the relationships between safety-specific leader reward and punishment omission (laissez-faire leadership) and followers' safety compliance, and the mediations of safety-specific distributive justice and role ambiguity. Methods: On a two-wave online survey of 307 workers from high-risk enterprises in China, these relationships were tested by structural equations modeling and bootstrapping procedures. Results: Findings show that safety-specific leader reward omission was negatively associated with followers' safety compliance through the mediating effects of safety-specific distributive justice and role ambiguity. Safety-specific leader punishment omission was also negatively associated with followers' safety compliance through the mediating effect of safety-specific role ambiguity, while safety-specific distributive justice was an insignificant mediator. Originality: The study addresses and closes more gaps by explaining how two contextualized laissez-faire leadership measures relate to followers' safety behaviors, following the contextualization and matching principles between predictors, mediators and criteria, and by revealing two mechanisms behind the detrimental effects of laissez-faire leadership on safety outcomes.publishedVersio

Compressive Sensing Based Image Compression and Transmission for Noisy Channels

This paper presents the design of an optimized Compressive Sensing image compression technique for data transmission over noisy mobile wireless channel. The proposed technique is more robust to channel noise. It uses individual measurement driven coding scheme, which facilitates simpler encoder design. The shift of computational burden from encoder to decoder is more suitable for mobile devices applications where computational power and battery life are limited. This paper also presents a novel quantizer which allows the encoder to dynamically adapt to the channel conditions and provides optimum performance

Connecting Incoming Freshmen With Engineering Through Hands-On Projects

Engineering programs suffer a high attrition rate, which causes the nation to graduate much less engineers. A survey of the literature reveals that the high attrition rate is due mainly to the fact that the first year of an engineering program is all fundamental theory and students don't see the connection to their future engineering careers. To address this problem, educators in the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering at Prairie View A&amp;M University launched a five-week summer camp entitled “College of Engineering Enhancement Institute (CE2I)” aimed at improving the performance of incoming freshmen in mathematics by one level and a smoother transition between high school and college. Each department in the college participated by introducing their individual curriculum through hands-on projects designed by faculty members. Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Computer Engineering Technology programs implemented multimedia projects to tie the incoming freshman to their selected majors. Results show that the camp met the expectations and successfully points the directions for our future engineering education practices.

Epidermal growth factor receptor in breast carcinoma: association between gene copy number and mutations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an available target of effective anti-EGFR therapy for human breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of EGFR gene amplification and mutations in breast cancer and to analyze the association between the statuses of these two gene alterations.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>EGFR gene amplification and mutations were investigated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 139 Chinese female patients with breast cancer by means of fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and fluorescently labeled real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>EGFR gene amplification was observed in 46/139 (33.1%) of cases by FISH. Based on RT-PCR, 2/139 (1.4%) samples had EGFR gene mutations. Overall, only 1 (0.7%) of the cases was identified with both whole gene amplification and mutation, and 92 (66.2%) of cases were negative for both. High gene copy numbers of EGFR had significant correlation with the occurrence of EGFR protein expressions (P = 0.002).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study, EGFR mutations were presented in only two samples, indicating that EGFR mutations should not be employed in future trials with anti-EGFR therapies for breast cancer. However, EGFR whole gene amplification is frequently observed in patients with breast cancer. It will be of significant interest to investigate whether EGFR gene copy number is a suitable screening test for EGFR-targeted therapy for breast cancer.</p