Estimation of Distributed Fermat-Point Location for Wireless Sensor Networking

This work presents a localization scheme for use in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) that is based on a proposed connectivity-based RF localization strategy called the distributed Fermat-point location estimation algorithm (DFPLE). DFPLE applies triangle area of location estimation formed by intersections of three neighboring beacon nodes. The Fermat point is determined as the shortest path from three vertices of the triangle. The area of estimated location then refined using Fermat point to achieve minimum error in estimating sensor nodes location. DFPLE solves problems of large errors and poor performance encountered by localization schemes that are based on a bounding box algorithm. Performance analysis of a 200-node development environment reveals that, when the number of sensor nodes is below 150, the mean error decreases rapidly as the node density increases, and when the number of sensor nodes exceeds 170, the mean error remains below 1% as the node density increases. Second, when the number of beacon nodes is less than 60, normal nodes lack sufficient beacon nodes to enable their locations to be estimated. However, the mean error changes slightly as the number of beacon nodes increases above 60. Simulation results revealed that the proposed algorithm for estimating sensor positions is more accurate than existing algorithms, and improves upon conventional bounding box strategies

Consolidation of Slopeland Rural Community Under Soil and Water Conservation Consideration

台灣約73%土地為山坡地，且27%之平地發展已趨於飽和，農村社區的建設與發展漸受政府重視，期能透過農村社區土地重劃營造富麗農村。因多數農村社區位於山坡地，土地重劃之規劃配置應著重水土保持觀念，以健全坡地農村重劃後之農村發展及達成減災之目的。 本研究選定南投縣魚池鄉內凹仔農村社區為研究區，該案已通過環境影響評估，並取得開發許可及核定水土保持計畫，目前正進行公共設施施工，預計於2012 年5月完成各項基礎建設。本研究將以水土保持觀點探討坡地農村土地重劃之規劃重點，俾為同類型重劃案規劃之參考。 內凹仔社區風景優美、氣候宜人且鄰近日月潭風景區，適合發展休閒農業及觀光遊憩，且重劃後人口增加，重劃時須考量社區之整體安全性，社區之地勢平坦，其西側緊鄰區外坡度陡峻之邊坡，於配置時應保留適當之緩衝距離並以開放性公用設施為主。。 社區南側有一野溪由南向西北貫穿社區，其上游集水區並無土石流危險溪流，但九二一地震時上游集水區發生崩塌，為避免影響社區安全，於野溪進入社區之適當區位設置沉砂池及緩衝綠帶，做為防災公園，減輕土砂災害。Slopelands occupied about 73%, and the remains of 27% which belongs to plain areas have already been well development in Taiwan. Government has paid more attention recently in the construction and development for building a rich and beautiful homeland by the consolidation of rural community. Due to locating at the slopelands, most of rural communities should focus on both infrastructure placement and the concepts of soil and water conservation for the purpose of rural development and disaster mitigation after a sound land consolidation. This study explores the concepts of land consolidation in a rual community at the slopeland. The Nei-au-tz rural community at Yuchih Township in Nantou County is selected as study area. The project has passed the process of environmental impact assessment, already got the permission of development, and been checked and ratified the soil and water conservation plan. Currently, public facilities in the study area are under construction, and the infrastructure is about to be completed in May 2012. The basic concepts which should be focused in executing land sonsolidation are discussed in this study by using the aspects of land use suitability, subregion placement, and conservation facilities for the reference of planning and design in the same category of community classification. With beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, and nearby the Sun-moon Lake scenic spot, Nei-au-tz rural community is suitable for developing agricultural and/or sightseeing in leasure and recreation. The characteristics of ecology and landscape should be considered in the planning. The public facilities should be placed at the western sites of the community for the consideration of terrain. A creek runs through the community from south to the northwest, and there is no creek with potential debris flow in the watershed. The community could be susceptible to the debris disaster due to 921 quake induced landslide in the watershed. The sedimentation pond and vegetated buffer strips are recommended to place at the suitable sites near the inlet of the creek for establishing a disaster prevention park.目錄 摘要 I Abstract II 目錄 IV 表目錄 VI 圖目錄 VIII 第一章 研究動機與目的 1 第二章 前人研究 2 第一節 農村社區土地重劃 2 一、農村社區定義 2 二、農村社區土地重劃 5 第二節 山坡地土地利用適宜性 6 一、山坡地定義 6 二、山坡地坡度 6 三、山坡地土地可利用限度 7 四、環境敏感區位 10 五、山坡地土地利用適宜性 13 第三節 開發法令及流程 16 一、相關法令 16 二、開發流程 18 第三章 材料與方法 21 第一節 研究流程 21 第二節 研究方法 22 一、坡度分析 22 二、水文分析 23 三、土壤流失量估算 26 第三節 樣區概述 29 一、地理位置及聯外交通 29 二、地形 31 三、水系 35 四、地下水 36 五、水文氣象 37 六、區域地質 41 七、基地地質 43 八、活動斷層與地震 44 九、土地權屬 45 十、土地使用現況 47 十一、土地使用編定 49 第四章 結果與討論 51 第一節 土地使用適宜性 51 一、環境敏感區位 51 二、崩塌地及土石流 52 三、坡度陡峭區 54 四、水文 55 第二節 土地使用分區規劃 61 一、土地利用分區規劃 61 二、土地使用配置 62 三、道路規劃 64 第三節 水土保持及防災措施 65 一、水土保持設施 65 二、防災措施 68 第四節 重劃成果 72 第五章 結論與建議 74 參考文獻 7

Non-invasive Drosophila ECG recording by using eutectic gallium-indium alloy electrode: a feasible tool for future research on the molecular mechanisms involved in cardiac arrhythmia.

BACKGROUND: Drosophila heart tube is a feasible model for cardiac physiological research. However, obtaining Drosophila electrocardiograms (ECGs) is difficult, due to the weak signals and limited contact area to apply electrodes. This paper presents a non-invasive Gallium-Indium (GaIn) based recording system for Drosophila ECG measurement, providing the heart rate and heartbeat features to be observed. This novel, high-signal-quality system prolongs the recording time of insect ECGs, and provides a feasible platform for research on the molecular mechanisms involved in cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: In this study, two types of electrode, tungsten needle probes and GaIn electrodes, were used respectively to noiselessly conduct invasive and noninvasive ECG recordings of Drosophila. To further analyze electrode properties, circuit models were established and simulated. By using electromagnetic shielded heart signal acquiring system, consisted of analog amplification and digital filtering, the ECG signals of three phenotypes that have different heart functions were recorded without dissection. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The ECG waveforms of different phenotypes of Drosophila recorded invasively and repeatedly with n value (n>5) performed obvious difference in heart rate. In long period ECG recordings, non-invasive method implemented by GaIn electrodes acts relatively stable in both amplitude and period. To analyze GaIn electrode, the correctness of GaIn electrode model established by this paper was validated, presenting accuracy, stability, and reliability. CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasive ECG recording by GaIn electrodes was presented for recording Drosophila pupae ECG signals within a limited contact area and signal strength. Thus, the observation of ECG changes in normal and SERCA-depleted Drosophila over an extended period is feasible. This method prolongs insect survival time while conserving major ECG features, and provides a platform for electrophysiological signal research on the molecular mechanism involved in cardiac arrhythmia, as well as research related to drug screening and development

Breast Tumor Detection and Classification Using Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Hyperspectral Imaging Techniques

Breast cancer is a main cause of disease and death for women globally. Because of the limitations of traditional mammography and ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gradually become an important radiological method for breast cancer assessment over the past decades. MRI is free of the problems related to radiation exposure and provides excellent image resolution and contrast. However, a disadvantage is the injection of contrast agent, which is toxic for some patients (such as patients with chronic renal disease or pregnant and lactating women). Recent findings of gadolinium deposits in the brain are also a concern. To address these issues, this paper develops an intravoxel incoherent motion- (IVIM-) MRI-based histogram analysis approach, which takes advantage of several hyperspectral techniques, such as the band expansion process (BEP), to expand a multispectral image to hyperspectral images and create an automatic target generation process (ATGP). After automatically finding suspected targets, further detection was attained by using kernel constrained energy minimization (KCEM). A decision tree and histogram analysis were applied to classify breast tissue via quantitative analysis for detected lesions, which were used to distinguish between three categories of breast tissue: malignant tumors (i.e., central and peripheral zone), cysts, and normal breast tissues. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed IVIM-MRI-based histogram analysis approach can effectively differentiate between these three breast tissue types

Suboptimal vitamin D status in a population-based study of Asian children: prevalence and relation to allergic diseases and atopy.

New evidence shows high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in many countries and some studies suggest a possible link between vitamin D status and allergic diseases. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D status in a population sample of Asian children and to investigate the relationship of vitamin D status with allergic diseases and atopy.Children aged 5-18 years (N = 1315) in the Prediction of Allergies in Taiwanese CHildren (PATCH) study were evaluated using questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and total and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).The mean concentration of serum 25(OH)D was 20.4 ng/mL (SD: 7.1 ng/mL). Vitamin D deficiency (defined as serum 25(OH)D<20 ng/mL) was present in 670 subjects (51.0%), while vitamin D insufficiency (defined as serum 25(OH)D<30 ng/mL) was observed in 1187 subjects (90.3%). Older age (P<0.001), female gender (P<0.001), higher body mass index (P = 0.001), winter and spring seasons (compared to summer; P both<0.001), and passive smoking (P = 0.011) were independently associated with low serum 25(OH)D levels. After adjusting for potential confounders, serum 25(OH)D status had no association with asthma, rhinitis, eczema, atopy, or total serum IgE (all P>0.05).Low serum 25(OH)D levels are remarkably common in this population sample of Asian children, suggesting that millions of children living in Taiwan may have suboptimal levels of vitamin D, which should be a matter of public health concern. Our results provides epidemiological evidence against the association of vitamin D status with various allergic diseases and atopy in Asian children

Summary of drosophila ECG Recording.

<p>Summary of drosophila ECG Recording.</p

A 15 minutes heart performance of SERCA depleted group that is measured by two different methods.

<p>Solid line and dotted line present non-invasive and invasive recording, respectively.</p

The ECG waveforms of drosophila invasively measured by insulated tungsten needle probe electrodes.

<p>The ECG waveforms of drosophila invasively measured by insulated tungsten needle probe electrodes.</p