Image segmentation and feature extraction for recognizing strokes in tennis game videos

This paper addresses the problem of recognizing human actions from video. Particularly, the case of recognizing events in tennis game videos is analyzed. Driven by our domain knowledge, a robust player segmentation algorithm is developed real video data. Further, we introduce a number of novel features to be extracted for our particular application. Different feature combinations are investigated in order to find the optimal one. Finally, recognition results for different classes of tennis strokes using automatic learning capability of Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) are presented. The experimental results demonstrate that our method is close to realizing statistics of tennis games automatically using ordinary TV broadcast videos

Digestion of Protein in Premature and Term Infants.

Premature birth rates and premature infant morbidity remain discouragingly high. Improving nourishment for these infants is the key for accelerating their development and decreasing disease risk. Dietary protein is essential for growth and development of infants. Studies on protein nourishment for premature infants have focused on protein requirements for catch-up growth, nitrogen balance, and digestive protease concentrations and activities. However, little is known about the processes and products of protein digestion in the premature infant. This review briefly summarizes the protein requirements of term and preterm infants, and the protein content of milk from women delivering preterm and at term. An in-depth review is presented of the current knowledge of term and preterm infant dietary protein digestion, including human milk protease and anti-protease concentrations; neonatal intestinal pH, and enzyme activities and concentrations; and protein fermentation by intestinal bacteria. The advantages and disadvantages of incomplete protein digestion as well as factors that increase resistance to proteolysis of particular proteins are discussed. In order to better understand protein digestion in preterm and term infants, future studies should examine protein and peptide fragment products of digestion in saliva, gastric, intestinal and fecal samples, as well as the effects of the gut micro biome on protein degradation. The confluence of new mass spectrometry technology and new bioinformatics programs will now allow thorough identification of the array of peptides produced in the infant as they are digested

Slow magnetic dynamics and hysteresis loops of a bulk ferromagnet

Magnetic dynamics of a bulk ferromagnet, a new single crystalline compound Co7(TeO3)4Br6, was studied by ac susceptibility and the related techniques. Very large Arrhenius activation energy of 17.2 meV (201 K) and long attempt time (2x10^(-4)s) span the full spectrum of magnetic dynamics inside a convenient frequency window, offering a rare opportunity for general studies of magnetic dynamics. Within the experimental window the ac susceptibility data build almost ideally semicircular Cole-Cole plots. Comprehensive study of experimental dynamic hysteresis loops of the compound is presented and interpreted within a simple thermal-activation-assisted spin lattice relaxation model for spin reversal. Quantitative agreement between the experimental results and the model's prediction for dynamic coercive field is achieved by assuming the central physical quantity, the Debye relaxation rate, to depend on frequency, as well as on the applied field strength and sample temperature. Cross-over between minor- to major hysteresis loops is carefully analyzed. Low-frequency limitations of the model, relying on domain wall pinning effects, are experimentally detected and appropriately discussed.Comment: A paragraph on dynamical-hysteresis assymetry added, text partially revised; Accepted in Physical Review

Sagnac effect in a chain of mesoscopic quantum rings

The ability to interferometrically detect inertial rotations via the Sagnac effect has been a strong stimulus for the development of atom interferometry because of the potential 10^{10} enhancement of the rotational phase shift in comparison to optical Sagnac gyroscopes. Here we analyze ballistic transport of matter waves in a one dimensional chain of N coherently coupled quantum rings in the presence of a rotation of angular frequency, \Omega. We show that the transmission probability, T, exhibits zero transmission stop gaps as a function of the rotation rate interspersed with regions of rapidly oscillating finite transmission. With increasing N, the transition from zero transmission to the oscillatory regime becomes an increasingly sharp function of \Omega with a slope \partialT/\partial \Omega N^2. The steepness of this slope dramatically enhances the response to rotations in comparison to conventional single ring interferometers such as the Mach-Zehnder and leads to a phase sensitivity well below the standard quantum limit

Granular Pressure In A Liquid Fluidized Bed

The granular temperature and pressure underpins the kinetic theory of granular flows while they also playing an increasing role in other context such as modeling heat transfer, segregation, erosion, attrition and aggregation in various granular processing technologies. The validation of these theories demands experimental determination of these quantities. Diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) is a well established technique for measurement of granular temperature in dense granular systems. Using the dense kinetic theory expression, we derive the granular pressure from DWS data for the first time. The determined mean granular pressure variation with solid volume fraction in a liquid fluidized bed is compared with theoretical and simulation models as well as with previous experimental results. Additionally, we report axial granular pressure profiles at several solid volume fractions.Vladimir Zivkovic, Mark Biggs, Don Glasshttp://www.chemeca2010.com/abstract/341.as

Red Blood Cells from Individuals with Abdominal Obesity or Metabolic Abnormalities Exhibit Less Deformability upon Entering a Constriction.

Abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) are multifactorial conditions associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes mellitus. Previous work has demonstrated that the hemorheological profile is altered in patients with abdominal obesity and MS, as evidenced for example by increased whole blood viscosity. To date, however, no studies have examined red blood cell (RBC) deformability of blood from individuals with obesity or metabolic abnormalities under typical physiological flow conditions. In this study, we pumped RBCs through a constriction in a microfluidic device and used high speed video to visualize and track the mechanical behavior of ~8,000 RBCs obtained from either healthy individuals (n = 5) or obese participants with metabolic abnormalities (OMA) (n = 4). We demonstrate that the OMA+ cells stretched on average about 25% less than the healthy controls. Furthermore, we examined the effects of ingesting a high-fat meal on RBC mechanical dynamics, and found that the postprandial period has only a weak effect on the stretching dynamics exhibited by OMA+ cells. The results suggest that chronic rigidification of RBCs plays a key role in the increased blood pressure and increased whole blood viscosity observed in OMA individuals and was independent of an acute response triggered by consumption of a high-fat meal

Scaling of Granular Temperature in a Dense Vibrated Granular Bed

The granular temperature underpins the kinetic theory of granular flows as well as theories for heat transfer, segregation, erosion, attrition and aggregation in various granular systems. We report granular temperature data of mono-disperse glass particles in a three-dimensional dense granular bed subject to vertical sinusoidal vibrations over a wide range of vibrational conditions as measured by diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS). The granular temperature was found to scale with the square of the peak vibrational velocity inline with a number of theoretical models and experiments, but a significant correlation was observed between the granular temperature and the acceleration at constant peak velocity. Therefore, a map of granular temperature as a function of the peak vibrational velocity (range of 30 to 55 mm/s) and acceleration (1.8 to 3.4 Γ) is presented for the first time and discussed.Vladimir Zivkovic, Mark Biggs, Don Glasshttp://www.chemeca2010.com/abstract/342.as

Women and work in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: An exploratory study of women's experience in IT Jobs

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is leading the discontinuous change in every sphere of our lives, from the Internet of everything to the Internet of all, and from Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to Human Augmentation. As nations experience shifting sources of competitiveness and a “hollowing out” effect, existing competencies get destroyed and the need for new competencies arises. On one hand, there is an increasing requirement for a workforce with high technical skills and on the other hand there is a shortage of human capital that can meet this need (Choi 2017). Information Technology (IT) is one of the key sectors experiencing this phenomenon. The high gender gap - a constant 72 percent which is estimated to continue in the future – further compounds the problem. IT is seen as a male dominated occupation, as indicated, for example, by the 78 percent:22 percent male-to-female ratio of Artificial Intelligence professionals globally (World Economic Forum 2018). Even amongst the women who do work in the IT profession, studies report a “leaky pipeline” with women moving away from their IT jobs during their career (Vitores & Gil-Juárez 2016). There is an urgent need for understanding the phenomenon of gender representation in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To this end, the present study explores the experiences of women working in IT departments and organizations in Dubai, their motivations, challenges, coping strategies and organizational support systems. These women have been chosen for the study to compare the experiences of IT versus non-IT women professionals working in the IT field. Neo-classical and human capital theories highlight women’s lower levels of education and workplace experience due to childcare responsibilities. Feminist theories argue that the underlying reason lies in the patriarchal attitudes and structures that perpetuate male domination in society, which extend to the workplace. Gender studies predominantly report challenges and negative experiences that include prejudice, hostility, inequality, stereotyping etc., all of which originate from social conditioning. A gender-neutral axiological stance has been adopted for this study which broadens the understanding of womens’ experiences - both positive and negative - the sources of the challenges as well as the support from the opposite gender as well as same-gender peers, superiors and subordinates; and the elements of social conditioning that aided and those that exacerbated their experiences. The study was undertaken from a yin-and-yang positionality rather than using a gender hierarchy and hence treats both genders as complementing each other. The objective is to help address the service management imperatives of developing an enabling work culture, harnessing the potential of employees and developing a sustainable pipeline of competent professionals, which essentially involves addressing the challenges faced by women and mitigating barriers to their empowered contribution. The approach adopted was a relativist ontological approach that aimed to understand the reality as perceived by women working in IT departments/companies based on their social interactions and experiences. To address the challenges, effective service management strategies must be based on an understanding of women’s subjective reality, a qualitative study marked the first phase of the study. Keywords: Gender gap in services, IT industry, IR4, Experiences, support strategies, coping mechanisms, gender-neutral approac