Object Detection in RGB-D Images via Anchor Box with Multi-Reduced Region Proposal Network and Multi-Pooling

Journal of Signal Processing Systems - With the latest development of automation technology, object detection technology has received more and more research attention. Automated object detection...     

Optical design of a stereoscopic adaptor lens for rigid 2D endoscopes

Optical Review - During endoscopic surgery, the operation accuracy can be improved if the endoscope system provides 3D information. In this paper, an adaptor lens is presented for a commercial 2D...     

A wireless PDA-based physiological monitoring system for patient transport

This paper proposes a mobile patient monitoring system, which integrates current personal digital assistant (PDA) technology and wireless local area network (WLAN) technology. At the patient's location, a wireless PDA-based monitor is used to acquire continuously the patient's vital signs, including heart rate, three-lead electrocardiography, and SpO2. Through the WLAN, the patient's biosignals can be transmitted in real-time to a remote central management unit, and authorized medical staffs can access the data and the case history of the patient, either by the central management unit or the wireless devices. A prototype of this system has been developed and implemented. The system has been evaluated by technical verification, clinical test, and user survey. The evaluation of performance yields a high degree of satisfaction (mean = 4.64, standard deviation--SD = 0.53 in a five-point Likert scale) of users who used the PDA-based system for intrahospital transport. The results also show that the wireless PDA model is superior to the currently used monitors both in mobility and in usability, and is, therefore, better suited to patient transport.     

Synthesis of multiple boron-containing analogs via Ugi-4CR

Research on Chemical Intermediates - One of the most significant challenges in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is to have an ideal boron delivery agent which can deliver sufficient numbers of...     

High-density assembly of gold nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes using 1-pyrenemethylamine as interlinker

In this article, we describe the formation of carbon nanotube (CNT)-gold nanoparticle composites in aqueous solution using 1-pyrenemethylamine (Py-CH2NH2) as the interlinker. The alkylamine substituent of 1-pyrenemethylamine binds to a gold nanoparticle, while the pyrene chromophore is noncovalently attached to the sidewall of a carbon nanotube via pi-pi stacking interaction. Using this strategy, gold nanoparticles with diameters of 2-4 nm can be densely assembled on the sidewalls of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The formation of functionalized gold nanoparticles and CNT-Au nanoparticle composites was followed by UV-vis absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. After functionalization of gold nanoparticles with 1-pyrenemethylamine, the distinct absorption vibronic structure of the pyrene chromophore was greatly perturbed and its absorbance value was decreased. There was also a corresponding red shift of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band of the gold nanoparticles after surface modification from 508 to 556 nm due to interparticle plasmon coupling. Further reduction of the pyrene chromophore absorbance was observed upon formation of the CNT-Au nanoparticle composites. The photoluminescence of 1-pyrenemethylamine was largely quenched after attaching to gold nanoparticles; formation of the CNT-Au nanoparticle composites further lowered its emission intensity. The pyrene fluoroprobe also sensed a relatively nonpolar environment after its attachment to the nanotube surface. The present approach to forming high-density deposition of gold nanoparticles on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes can be extended to other molecules with similar structures such as N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine and phenethylamine, demonstrating the generality of this strategy for making CNT-Au nanostructure composites.     

Further investigation of conjugated length and dispersity on light-driven hydrogen evolution facilitated by conjugated polymers

Conjugated length and dispersity are modulated by the incorporation of non-conjugated groups. The integration of 1,4-butanediylbis(oxy) groups into poly[(1,4-benzo{2,1,3}thiadiazole)-co-1,4-benzene] gives numerous co-polymers. The presence of the 1,4-butanediylbis(oxy) unit in the polymer backbone interrupts the conjugation length. The optical energy gap is not much affected. The variation in the hydrogen evolution rate (HER) is evident. Density-functional-theory calculations suggest that the distribution of residual Pd along the polymer chain could be influenced considerably by the introduction of 1,4-butanediylbis(oxy) group, accounting for the variation in the HER. On the other hand, a macromonomer with oligo tert-butyl acrylate side chains synthesized through atom transfer radical polymerization is copolymerized with 3,7-dibromo-dibenzothiophene 5,5-dioxide to furnish a random copolymer. The ester groups in the polymer can be transformed to the acid moieties. The polymer with the acid functionality exhibits superior dispersity in the reaction solvents. Nonetheless, the difference in the hydrogen-evolution activity is marginal between the two polymers, revealing that the increase in the polymer dispersity does not essentially improve the photoactivity for this reaction. These studies reveal that a structural variation could simultaneously lead to the alternation in numerous properties. Emphasis on a particular property could be misleading in designing active photocatalysts in hydrogen evolution.