Impulsive noise removal from color images with morphological filtering

This paper deals with impulse noise removal from color images. The proposed noise removal algorithm employs a novel approach with morphological filtering for color image denoising; that is, detection of corrupted pixels and removal of the detected noise by means of morphological filtering. With the help of computer simulation we show that the proposed algorithm can effectively remove impulse noise. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared in terms of image restoration metrics and processing speed with that of common successful algorithms.Comment: The 6th international conference on analysis of images, social networks, and texts (AIST 2017), 27-29 July, 2017, Moscow, Russi

Geometry-dependent critical currents in superconducting nanocircuits

In this paper we calculate the critical currents in thin superconducting strips with sharp right-angle turns, 180-degree turnarounds, and more complicated geometries, where all the line widths are much smaller than the Pearl length $\Lambda = 2 \lambda^2/d$. We define the critical current as the current that reduces the Gibbs free-energy barrier to zero. We show that current crowding, which occurs whenever the current rounds a sharp turn, tends to reduce the critical current, but we also show that when the radius of curvature is less than the coherence length this effect is partially compensated by a radius-of-curvature effect. We propose several patterns with rounded corners to avoid critical-current reduction due to current crowding. These results are relevant to superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, where they suggest a means of improving the bias conditions and reducing dark counts. These results also have relevance to normal-metal nanocircuits, as these patterns can reduce the electrical resistance, electromigration, and hot spots caused by nonuniform heating.Comment: 29 pages, 24 figure

A reduced model for shock and detonation waves. II. The reactive case

We present a mesoscopic model for reactive shock waves, which extends a previous model proposed in [G. Stoltz, Europhys. Lett. 76 (2006), 849]. A complex molecule (or a group of molecules) is replaced by a single mesoparticle, evolving according to some Dissipative Particle Dynamics. Chemical reactions can be handled in a mean way by considering an additional variable per particle describing a rate of reaction. The evolution of this rate is governed by the kinetics of a reversible exothermic reaction. Numerical results give profiles in qualitative agreement with all-atom studies

Damage accumulation in multilayer thin films on gamma titanium aluminides

The present paper involves comprehensive investigations towards an understanding on how aggressive environments, high service temperatures and long dwell times affect damage growth and lifetime reduction of different components of automotive combustion engines and aero-engines made out of gamma titanium aluminides with protective coatings. The outcome of this paper is related to the practical recommendations on how damage growth at high temperatures in multilayer thin films on gamma titanium aluminides under thermal cyclic conditions and multiaxial stress state may be controlled in order to reduce environmental degradation, optimize the protective coating and extend lifetime of a component for automotive, energy and aerospace applications.Настоящая статья включает в себя всеобъемлющие исследования, направленные на понимание того, как агрессивные среды, высокие температуры и время цикла нагружения влияют на рост повреждаемости и сокращение долговечности различных компонентов автомобильных двигателей внутреннего сгорания и авиационных двигателей, изготовленных из гамма алюминидов титана с защитными покрытиями. В результате этих исследований установлено, как рост поврежденности при высоких температурах в многослойных тонких пленках на основе гамма алюминидов титана в условиях теплового циклического нагружения и многоосного напряженного состояния можно контролировать с целью снижения деградации под влиянием окружающей среды, оптимизации защитного покрытия и увеличения срока службы элементов конструкций для автомобильной, энергетической и аэрокосмической промышленности

Benchmark creep tests for thermal barrier coatings

The topic of this paper involves a number of benchmark creep tests and reference solutions that give the possibility to verify the finite element analysis of stress redistribution in thermal barrier coatings related to commercial software packages. The numerical results have been compared in the benchmark tests with the results obtained by other methods and by other authors. The results of creep studies revealed the magnitudes of the local stresses that correlate with the residual stresses determined in the thermally grown oxide by the luminescence spectroscopy method. The creep properties of Ni-based superalloy substrate have strong influence on the stress state and subsequent failure of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings. The obtained numerical results demonstrate that the future EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings should be developed simultaneously with the Ni-based superalloy substrate, because the effectiveness of coating is influenced by the composition and properties of the substrate.Тема цієї статті включає в себе ряд тестів на повзучість та еталонні рішення, які дають можливість перевірити аналіз методом скінченних елементів перерозподілу напружень в теплозахисних покриттях, пов'язаний з комерційними пакетами програмного забезпечення. Чисельні результати були порівняні у тестах з результатами, отриманими іншими методами та іншими авторами. Результати досліджень повзучості показали величини локальних напружень, які корелюють із залишковими напруженнями, визначеними в термічно вирощеному оксиді методом люмінесцентної спектроскопії. Повзучість нікелевих жароміцних сплавів підкладки має сильний вплив на напружений стан і подальше руйнування EB-PVD теплозахисних покриттів. Отримані чисельні результати показують, що майбутні EB-PVD теплозахисні покриття повинні бути розроблені одночасно з нікелевою підкладкою, оскільки ефективність покриття залежить від складу і властивостей підкладки

High precision measurement of the associated strangeness production in proton proton interactions

A new high precision measurement of the reaction pp -> pK+Lambda at a beam momentum of 2.95 GeV/c with more than 200,000 analyzed events allows a detailed analysis of differential observables and their inter-dependencies. Correlations of the angular distributions with momenta are examined. The invariant mass distributions are compared for different regions in the Dalitz plots. The cusp structure at the N Sigma threshold is described with the Flatt\'e formalism and its variation in the Dalitz plot is analyzed.Comment: accepted for publication in Eur. Phys. J.

Color pattern recognition with circular component whitening

Polychromatic object recognition based on circular whitening preprocessing of red-green-blue components and multichannel matched filtering is described. Computer simulations and experimental results are provided to facilitate recognizing a color target among objects of similar shape but with different color contents. Experimental results are obtained with an optical correlator with two spatial light modulators, one to introduce the scene and the second one to introduce the filter

Dabigatran use in Danish atrial fibrillation patients in 2011: a nationwide study

OBJECTIVE: Dabigatran was recently approved for anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF); data regarding real-world use, comparative effectiveness and safety are sparse. DESIGN: Pharmacoepidemiological cohort study. METHODS/SETTINGS: From nationwide registers, we identified patients with an in-hospital or outpatient-clinic AF diagnosis who claimed a prescription of dabigatran 110 or 150 mg, or vitamin K antagonist (VKA), between 22 August and 31 December 2011. HRs of thromboembolic events (ischaemic stroke, transitory ischaemic attack and peripheral artery embolism) and bleedings were estimated using Cox regression analyses in all patients and stratified by previous VKA use. RESULTS: Overall, 1612 (3.1%) and 1114 (2.1%) patients claimed a prescription of dabigatran 110 and 150 mg, and 49640 (94.8%) of VKA. Patients treated with dabigatran 150 mg were younger with less comorbidity than those treated with dabigatran 110 mg and VKA, as were VKA naïve patients compared with previous VKA users. Recommendations set by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) for dabigatran were met in 90.3% and 55.5% of patients treated with 110 and 150 mg. Patients treated with 150 mg dabigatran, who did not fulfil the recommendations by EMA, were >80 years, patients with liver or kidney disease, patients with previous bleeding. Compared with VKA, the thromboembolic risk associated with dabigatran 110 and 150 mg was HR 3.52 (1.40 to 8.84) and 5.79 (1.81 to 18.56) in previous VKA users, and HR 0.95(0.47 to 1.91) and 1.14(0.60 to 2.16) in VKA naïve patients. Bleeding risk was increased in previous VKA users receiving dabigatran 110 mg, but not in patients with 150 mg dabigatran, nor in the VKA naïve users. CONCLUSIONS: Deviations from the recommended use of dabigatran were frequent among patients treated with 150 mg. With cautious interpretation, dabigatran use in VKA naïve patients seems safe. Increased risk of thromboembolism and bleeding with dabigatran among previous VKA users was unexpected and may reflect patient selection and ‘drug switching’ practices

Structural, Biophysical, and Functional Studies of TREM2 In Neurodegenerative Disease

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases present a large and growing challenge to global health. The immune system, particularly the innate immune system, is increasingly recognized as having a major role in these pathologies. The innate immune system is responsible to contain disease and promote healing. However, immune misregulation exacerbates disease. The innate immunomodulatory receptor Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2) is expressed on myeloid cells such as dendritic cells, macrophages, and in the brain, on microglia. TREM2 is a single-pass transmembrane receptor with an extracellular Ig domain that mediates ligand binding. This protein regulates inflammation in vitro and is required in vivo to sustain the microglia response during neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, genetic studies have identified rare coding variants that increase risk for AD and separate variants that cause the severe, early fatal dementia known as Nasu-Hakola Disease (NHD). Combined, these animal and genetic studies have described a crucial role for TREM2 and identified variants that contribute disease risk. However, a full understanding of TREM2 function has been lacking due to a dearth of information regarding its structure and ligands. The goal of this study was to determine the TREM2 structure and understand how the disease variants alter structure and function. The TREM2 Ig domain was expressed, purified, and crystallized using a novel mammalian expression system. The TREM2 crystal structure and subsequent biophysical and functional assays revealed that NHD variants reduce protein stability and cause protein misfolding while the AD variants have minimal structural changes and instead impact ligand binding. TREM2 bound cell-surface sulfated proteoglycans on mammalian cells. AD-risk variants decreased binding while another variant, which is possibly protective, increased binding. These variants mapped a functional ligand-binding surface on the TREM2 protein. Functionally, chemical inhibition of nascent proteoglycan sulfation impaired TREM2 signaling, suggesting a ligand that acts in cis to position TREM2 for signaling. Additionally, TREM2 interacts with the soluble lipoprotein apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and with amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides. Intriguingly, AD-risk variants impair both of these interactions, suggesting a physiological relevance during AD. These experiments offer the first structural and mechanistic studies of TREM2 function and will engender targeted molecular therapies to restore or enhance TREM2 function during neurodegenerative disease

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for adults after heart valve surgery:review

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation may benefit heart valve surgery patients. We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence for the use of exercise-based intervention programmes following heart valve surgery.To assess the benefits and harms of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation compared with no exercise training intervention, or treatment as usual, in adults following heart valve surgery. We considered programmes including exercise training with or without another intervention (such as a psycho-educational component).We searched: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE); MEDLINE (Ovid); EMBASE (Ovid); CINAHL (EBSCO); PsycINFO (Ovid); LILACS (Bireme); and Conference Proceedings Citation Index-S (CPCI-S) on Web of Science (Thomson Reuters) on 23 March 2015. We handsearched Web of Science, bibliographies of systematic reviews and trial registers (ClinicalTrials.gov, Controlled-trials.com, and The World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform).We included randomised clinical trials that investigated exercise-based interventions compared with no exercise intervention control. The trial participants comprised adults aged 18 years or older who had undergone heart valve surgery for heart valve disease (from any cause) and received either heart valve replacement, or heart valve repair.Two authors independently extracted data. We assessed the risk of systematic errors ('bias') by evaluation of bias risk domains. Clinical and statistical heterogeneity were assessed. Meta-analyses were undertaken using both fixed-effect and random-effects models. We used the GRADE approach to assess the quality of evidence. We sought to assess the risk of random errors with trial sequential analysis.We included two trials from 1987 and 2004 with a total 148 participants who have had heart valve surgery. Both trials had a high risk of bias.There was insufficient evidence at 3 to 6 months follow-up to judge the effect of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation compared to no exercise on mortality (RR 4.46 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22 to 90.78); participants = 104; studies = 1; quality of evidence: very low) and on serious adverse events (RR 1.15 (95% CI 0.37 to 3.62); participants = 148; studies = 2; quality of evidence: very low). Included trials did not report on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the secondary outcomes of New York Heart Association class, left ventricular ejection fraction and cost. We did find that, compared with control (no exercise), exercise-based rehabilitation may increase exercise capacity (SMD -0.47, 95% CI -0.81 to -0.13; participants = 140; studies = 2, quality of evidence: moderate). There was insufficient evidence at 12 months follow-up for the return to work outcome (RR 0.55 (95% CI 0.19 to 1.56); participants = 44; studies = 1; quality of evidence: low). Due to limited information, trial sequential analysis could not be performed as planned.Our findings suggest that exercise-based rehabilitation for adults after heart valve surgery, compared with no exercise, may improve exercise capacity. Due to a lack of evidence, we cannot evaluate the impact on other outcomes. Further high-quality randomised clinical trials are needed in order to assess the impact of exercise-based rehabilitation on patient-relevant outcomes, including mortality and quality of life