Combining Image Processing Techniques and Mobile Sensor Information for Marker-less Augmented Reality Based Reconstruction

Marker-less Augmented Reality(AR) based recon- struction using mobile devices, is a near impossible task. When considering vision based tracking approaches, it is due to the lack of processing power in mobile devices and when considering mobile sensor based tracking approaches, it is due to the lack of accuracy in mobile Global Positioning System(GPS). In order to address this problem this research presents a novel approach which combines image processing techniques and mobile sensor information which can be used to perform precise position localization in order to perform augmented reality based reconstruction using mobile devices. The core of this proposed methodology is tightly bound with the image processing technique which is used to identify the object scale in a given image, which is taken from the user’s mobile device. Use of mobile sensor information was to classify the most optimal locations for a given particular user location. This proposed methodology has been evaluated against the results obtained using 10cm accurate Real-Time Kinematic(RTK) device and against the results obtained using only the Assisted Global  Positioning  System(A-GPS)  chips  in  mobile  devices. Though  this  proposed  methodology  require  more  processing time than A-GPS chips, the accuracy level of this proposed methodology outperforms that of A-GPS chips and the results of the experiments carried out further convince that this proposed methodology facilitates improving the accuracy of position local- ization for augmented reality based reconstruction using mobile devices under certain limitations

Impact of Decision Making, Reward Management on Job Performance: Mediation of Job Satisfaction: A Case of a Private Banks in Sri Lanka

With the huge competition prevailing in the business world, organizations focusing more on job performance than ever before as less performed employees will lead the organizations for destruction. With this interest, organizations looking forward to recognize how job performance can be enhanced within the organization, which leads to a competitive edge. By identifying this importance, this study is focused on to investigate the impact of decision making and reward management on job performance, and to identify the mediation effect of job satisfaction on the above relationships. self administered questionnaires were used to collect the date and data were collected from 311 employees in private banks in Sri Lanka. The impact of decision making and reward management on job performance were significant and partial mediation of job satisfaction on the above relationships were found out. Thereby, this study sign the managers of the organizations to focus more on practices of the organizations to enhance the performance of the employees. Keywords: Decision Making, Job Performance, Job Satisfaction, Private Banks, Reward Management, Sri Lank

Constrictive pericarditis in a post–renal transplant patient: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Constrictive pericarditis is a rare complication in the post–renal transplant period. It poses a diagnostic dilemma even in the modern era. Its incidence is not known and tuberculosis is implicated in some of the cases. CASE PRESENTATION: A 54-year-old Sri Lankan man, in the sixth year of transplant presented with resistant ascites, shortness of breath and elevated creatinine from the baseline. Pre-transplant he was empirically treated for tuberculosis pericarditis and was on isoniazid prophylaxis for 1 year following transplantation. Two-dimensional echocardiography and cardiac catheterization confirmed the diagnosis, and pericardiectomy was performed, which resulted in full resolution of the symptoms as well as the graft function. The histology or bacteriology failed to demonstrate features suggestive of tuberculosis in the surgical specimen. CONCLUSION: In constrictive pericarditis, a causative factor is difficult to find. Isoniazid prophylaxis shows benefit in preventing tuberculosis-associated constrictive pericarditis

An insight of p-type to n-type conductivity conversion in oxygen ion-implanted ultrananocrystalline diamond films by impedance spectroscopy

The impedance spectroscopy measurements were used to investigate the separated contributions of diamond grains and grain boundaries (GBs), giving an insight into p-type to n-type conductivity conversion in O+-implanted ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films. It is found that both diamond grains and GBs promote the conductivity in O+-implanted UNCD films, in which GBs make at least half contribution. The p-type conductivity in O+-implanted samples is a result of H-terminated diamond grains, while n-type conductive samples are closely correlated with O-terminated O+-implanted diamond grains and GBs in the films. The results also suggest that low resistance of GBs is preferable to obtain high mobility n-type conductive UNCD films

E-government adoption: A cultural comparison

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008.E-government diffusion is an international phenomenon. This study compares e-government adoption in the U.K. to adoption in the U.S. In particular, this study seeks to determine if the same factors are salient in both countries. Several studies have explored citizen acceptance of e-government services in the U.S. However, few studies have explored this phenomenon in the U.K. To identify the similarities and differences between the U.K. and the U.S. a survey is conducted in the U.K. and the findings are compared to the literature that investigates diffusion in the U.S. This study proposes a model of e-government adoption in the U.K. based on salient factors in the U.S. A survey is administered to 260 citizens in London to assess the importance of relative advantage, trust and the digital divide on intention to use e-government. The results of binary logistic regression indicate that there are cultural differences in e-government adoption in the U.K. and the U.S. The results indicate that of the prevailing adoption constructs, relative advantage and trust are pertinent in both the U.S. and the U.K., while ICT adoption barriers such as access and skill may vary by culture. Implications for research and practice are discussed

Controlled modification of resonant tunneling in metal-insulator-insulator-metal structures

We present comprehensive experimental and theoretical work on tunnel-barrier rectifiers comprising bilayer (Nb2O5/Al2O3) insulator configurations with similar (Nb/Nb) and dissimilar (Nb/Ag) metal electrodes. The electron affinity, valence band offset, and metal work function were ascertained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, and electrical measurements on fabricated reference structures. The experimental band line-up parameters were fed into a theoretical model to predict available bound states in the Nb2O5/Al2O3 quantum well and generate tunneling probability and transmittance curves under applied bias. The onset of strong resonance in the sub-V regime was found to be controlled by a work function difference of Nb/Ag electrodes in agreement with the experimental band alignment and theoretical model. A superior low-bias asymmetry of 35 at 0.1 V and a responsivity of 5 A/W at 0.25 V were observed for the Nb/4 nm Nb2O5/1 nm Al2O3/Ag structure, sufficient to achieve a rectification of over 90% of the input alternate current terahertz signal in a rectenna device

Ge interface engineering using ultra-thin La2O3 and Y2O3 films: A study into the effect of deposition temperature

A study into the optimal deposition temperature for ultra-thin La2O3/Ge and Y2O3/Ge gate stacks has been conducted in this paper with the aim to tailor the interfacial layer for effective passivation of the Ge interface. A detailed comparison between the two lanthanide oxides (La2O3 and Y2O3) in terms of band line-up, interfacial features, and reactivity to Ge using medium energy ion scattering, vacuum ultra-violet variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VUV-VASE), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction is shown. La2O3 has been found to be more reactive to Ge than Y2O3, forming LaGeOx and a Ge sub-oxide at the interface for all deposition temperature studied, in the range from 44 °C to 400 °C. In contrast, Y2O3/Ge deposited at 400 °C allows for an ultra-thin GeO2 layer at the interface, which can be eliminated during annealing at temperatures higher than 525 °C leaving a pristine YGeOx/Ge interface. The Y2O3/Ge gate stack deposited at lower temperature shows a sub-band gap absorption feature fitted to an Urbach tail of energy 1.1 eV. The latter correlates to a sub-stoichiometric germanium oxide layer at the interface. The optical band gap for the Y2O3/Ge stacks has been estimated to be 5.7 ± 0.1 eV from Tauc-Lorentz modelling of VUV-VASE experimental data. For the optimal deposition temperature (400 °C), the Y2O3/Ge stack exhibits a higher conduction band offset (>2.3 eV) than the La2O3/Ge (∼2 eV), has a larger band gap (by about 0.3 eV), a germanium sub-oxide free interface, and leakage current (∼10−7 A/cm2 at 1 V) five orders of magnitude lower than the respective La2O3/Ge stack. Our study strongly points to the superiority of the Y2O3/Ge system for germanium interface engineering to achieve high performance Ge Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor technology

IN-VITRO MULTIPLICATION OF GINGER (Zingiber officinale ROSC.) CULTIVARS LOCAL, CHINESE AND RANGUN

Abstract In Ginger, it is necessary to find an alternative method for production of disease free planting materials as the conventional propagation technique through rhizomes transmit many diseases. The present study summarizes an efficient micropropagation method developed for Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Ginger) cultivar, Local, Chinese and Rangun using sprouted bud explants from fresh rhizomes. Newly sprouted rhizome buds with the size of 0.5-1.0 cm were surface sterilized with 30% Clorox for 30 minutes prior to culture and this treatment resulted 60%-70% healthy pure explants for all three cultivars

Lichen floral studies on Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. tree trunk in different eco - regions of Sri Lanka

Information on lichen flora in Sri Lanka is scarce. Therefore a study was carried out to investigatelichens growing on a tree species common to all five eco regions (Montane, Wet, Intermediate, Aridand Dry zone) of Sri Lanka. The common tree species found in all regions was Artocarpusheterophyllus Lam. (jak). Lichen flora found on bark of jak trees between 1.5 m and 2 rn above theground level was studied. Six hundred and sixty three specimens from hundred and twenty trees werestudied. Twenty five genera and thirteen families were found among them. Twenty genera werefound to be crustose and five were folioses. No fruticose lichen was found in any region. Of allidentified lichens 40% were belonged to the family Graphidaceae and it was the most frequentlyfound lichen family in all regions and the second highest (17%) was belonged to family Phyciaceae.The most frequently found genus was Graphis.Heterodermia and Pertusaria were found only in montane zone while Leptogium was found only inlowland wet zone. Thelotrema. Ocellularia. Myriotrema and Chrysothrix were found only inIntermediate zonc. Parntelia was restricted to wet zone while Dirinaria, Dimerella and Porinawere restricted to dry zone, Differences in distribution of some of these lichens can be explainedwith rain fall, temperature and humidity.

COBRA framework to evaluate e-government services: A citizen-centric perspective

E-government services involve many stakeholders who have different objectives that can have an impact on success. Among these stakeholders, citizens are the primary stakeholders of government activities. Accordingly, their satisfaction plays an important role in e-government success. Although several models have been proposed to assess the success of e-government services through measuring users' satisfaction levels, they fail to provide a comprehensive evaluation model. This study provides an insight and critical analysis of the extant literature to identify the most critical factors and their manifested variables for user satisfaction in the provision of e-government services. The various manifested variables are then grouped into a new quantitative analysis framework consisting of four main constructs: cost; benefit; risk and opportunity (COBRA) by analogy to the well-known SWOT qualitative analysis framework. The COBRA measurement scale is developed, tested, refined and validated on a sample group of e-government service users in Turkey. A structured equation model is used to establish relationships among the identified constructs, associated variables and users' satisfaction. The results confirm that COBRA framework is a useful approach for evaluating the success of e-government services from citizens' perspective and it can be generalised to other perspectives and measurement contexts. Crown Copyright © 2014.PIAP-GA-2008-230658) from the European Union Framework Program and another grant (NPRP 09-1023-5-158) from the Qatar National Research Fund (amember of Qatar Foundation