Image Type Water Meter Character Recognition Based on Embedded DSP

In the paper, we combined DSP processor with image processing algorithm and studied the method of water meter character recognition. We collected water meter image through camera at a fixed angle, and the projection method is used to recognize those digital images. The experiment results show that the method can recognize the meter characters accurately and artificial meter reading is replaced by automatic digital recognition, which improves working efficiency

Machine Learning Inspired Energy-Efficient Hybrid Precoding for MmWave Massive MIMO Systems

Hybrid precoding is a promising technique for mmWave massive MIMO systems, as it can considerably reduce the number of required radio-frequency (RF) chains without obvious performance loss. However, most of the existing hybrid precoding schemes require a complicated phase shifter network, which still involves high energy consumption. In this paper, we propose an energy-efficient hybrid precoding architecture, where the analog part is realized by a small number of switches and inverters instead of a large number of high-resolution phase shifters. Our analysis proves that the performance gap between the proposed hybrid precoding architecture and the traditional one is small and keeps constant when the number of antennas goes to infinity. Then, inspired by the cross-entropy (CE) optimization developed in machine learning, we propose an adaptive CE (ACE)-based hybrid precoding scheme for this new architecture. It aims to adaptively update the probability distributions of the elements in hybrid precoder by minimizing the CE, which can generate a solution close to the optimal one with a sufficiently high probability. Simulation results verify that our scheme can achieve the near-optimal sum-rate performance and much higher energy efficiency than traditional schemes.Comment: This paper has been accepted by IEEE ICC 2017. The simulation codes are provided to reproduce the results in this paper at: http://oa.ee.tsinghua.edu.cn/dailinglong/publications/publications.htm

Advances in Resting State Neuroimaging of Mild Cognitive Impairment

The rapidly increasing number of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) worldwide has become a major public concern. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), characterized with accelerated memory decline than normal aging, is a stage between cognitively unimpaired and dementia. Identification of MCI in the Alzheimer's continuum from normal aging, is important for early diagnosis and improved intervention of AD. The imaging technique has been extensively used for diagnose and understanding the mechanisms of MCI. Firstly, we review the recent progresses in the research framework of MCI depending on the clinical and/or biomarker findings. Secondly, we cover studies that use of rs-fMRI (resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging) for the brain activities and functional connectivity between normal aging and MCI. Other methodologies and multi-modal studies for investigating the mechanism and early diagnosis of MCI are also discussed. Finally, we discuss how genetic and environmental factors such as education could interact with in MCI. Overall, MCI is a heterogeneous state and employing resting state neuroimaging with other AD biomarker approaches will be able to target in the more precise population and AD-related pathology process

Web Services for forward integration in international tourism supply chains: A case study of tourism in Thailand

International tourism is a highly competitive and information-intensive industry. Customers need volumes of information for decision aids. Moreover, the decision-making processes are quite sensitive to the variables of personal preferences, the tourist industrial ecosystem, the legal regulations and political environments of destinations, the regional or global economic situations, the natural matters, and so on. Hence, the owners of tourism are motivated to upgrade the competitiveness of their businesses with information technologies. This paper intends to design the architecture of Web Services in international tourism, which can contribute to the forward integration in international tourism supply chains. First, the authors conduct an in-depth case study of a regional tour operator in Thailand. In the case study, we examine the strength, weakness, challenges visions, and strategic approaches of international tourism, and their relationships with the information systems in the tourist business. Then, this paper designs the architecture of Web Services in international tourism. The architecture is expected to improve the information transparency through the global tourism supply chain, construct business-to-business collaboration mechanism, provide efficient and effective information to tourists, and consequently contribute to forward integration in international tourism supply chains

Does Product Type Affect Electronic Word-of-Mouth Richness Effectiveness? Influences of Message Valence and Consumer Knowledge

Drawing on the information richness theory, this study attempts to address how valence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), product type and consumer knowledge will yield different levels of eWOM richness. The results based on an experimental study suggest that negative eWOM has a stronger effect in producing eWOM information richness than does positive eWOM, and such effect is more pronounced for a leisure farm tour (experience goods) than for digital camera (search goods). The tendency that negative eWOM will provide richer information for the leisure farm tour is more evident for high-knowledge consumers than for low-knowledge consumers. The study’s results caution against the aggravated harm of negative eWOM incurred from the dissatisfactory experience of a leisure farm tour

4-Amino-3,5-dichloro­benzene­sulfonamide

In the title compound, C6H6Cl2N2O2S, the O atoms of the sulfonamide group lie on one side of the benzene ring and the amino group lies on the opposite side. An inter­molecular N—H⋯Cl inter­action occurs. In the crystal, adjacent mol­ecules are linked by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional structure with supporting π–π stacking inter­actions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7903 (12) Å]. A short Cl⋯Cl contact [3.3177 (10) Å] also occurs

AFLP analysis on genetic diversity and population structure of small yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis

The population genetic structure and diversity of small yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis in the Bohai Bay, Yellow Sea and East China Sea were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP). Ninety-one individuals were collected from six locations representing three stocks of small yellow croaker. A total of 218 putative loci were detected by 3 primer combinations, 148 of which were polymorphic (67.89%). The proportion of polymorphic loci and Nei’s genetic diversity for six populations ranged from 55.34 - 60.09%, and from 0.1244 - 0.1378. AMOVA analysis and pairwise FST revealedsignificant genetic differentiation among the three groups based on the breeding migration routes and over-wintering grounds, supporting separate stocks in this species. The result shows the migratorybehavior might be an important factor which influences the genetic structure of this species. The UPGMA tree also revealed the significant geographic structure in this species. Pattern of isolation bydistance was observed in this species, indicating that significant genetic differentiation among localities of small yellow croaker might be due to the geographic distance