Color quantitation through image processing in dermatology

Classical color models and their applications to computer vision are reviewed. The performances of color quantitation from digitized images are compared with those derived from a chromameter. The color quantitation obtained from either digitized color slides or directly digitized images is proved to be more efficient than the conventional visual assessment of observers. A methodology is proposed for determining the specific color indices which are needed in dermatology. An application of this methodology is developed for designing a blanching quantitation index in order to replace the visual assessment during McKenzie tests.     

Improvement on dynamic elastic interpolation technique for reconstructing 3-D objects from serial cross sections [biomedical application

An improved method for automatically reconstructing a three-dimensional object from serial cross sections is presented. The method improves the dynamic elastic contour interpolation technique. There are two major improvements: (1) in the case of branching that involves concave contours, instead of pairwise interpolation between the start contour and each goal contour, the goal image is considered globally and local constraints are imposed on the forces exerting upon the vertices; and (2) it takes the continuity of high-order derivatives into consideration and incorporates the schemes of spline theory, quadratic-variation-based surface interpolation, and finite-element-based multilevel surface interpolation to create smoother surfaces of the reconstructed object. Based on the output from the preliminary processing, two alternatives, a quadratic-variation-based surface interpolation algorithm and a finite-element-based multilevel surface interpolation algorithm, can be adopted to obtain the final surface representation     

Reconstruction of two-dimensional permittivity distribution using the distorted Born iterative method

The distorted Born iterative method (DBIM) is used to solve two-dimensional inverse scattering problems, thereby providing another general method to solve the two-dimensional imaging problem when the Born and the Rytov approximations break down. Numerical simulations are performed using the DBIM and the method proposed previously by the authors (Int. J. Imaging Syst. Technol., vol.1, no.1, p.100-8, 1989) called the Born iterative method (BIM) for several cases in which the conditions for the first-order Born approximation are not satisfied. The results show that each method has its advantages; the DBIM shows faster convergence rate compared to the BIM, while the BIM is more robust to noise contamination compared to the DBIM.     

Elimination of dislocations in heteroepitaxial MBE and RTCVD Ge x Si1-x grown on patterned Si substrates

We have grown Ge _x Si_1-x (0 <x < 0.20,1000–3000Å thick) on small growth areas etched in the Si substrate. Layers were grown using both molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at 550° C and rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) at 900° C. Electron beam induced current images (EBIC) (as well as defect etches and transmission electron microscopy) show that 2800Å-thick, MBE Ge_0.19Si_0.81 on 70-μm-wide mesas have zerothreading and nearly zero misfit dislocations. The Ge_0.19Si{0.81} grown on unpatterned, large areas is heavily dislocated. It is also evident from the images that heterogeneous nucleation of misfit dislocations is dominant in this composition range. 1000Å-thick, RTCVD Ge_0.14Si_0.86 films deposited on 70 μm-wide mesas are also nearly dislocation-free as shown by EBIC, whereas unpatterned areas are more heavily dislocated. Thus, despite the high growth temperatures, only heterogeneous nucleation of misfit dislocations occurs and patterning is still effective. Photoluminescence spectra from arrays of GeSi on Si mesas show that even when the interface dislocation density on the mesas is high, growth on small areas results in a lower dislocation density than growth on large areas.     

Inclusive production of vector mesons in π+ p interactions at 250 GeV/c

We report on a study of ρ⁰, ρ⁺, ω, \(\bar K^{*0} (892)\) andK ^*0 (892) inclusive production in π⁺ p interactions at 250 GeV/c, for ρ⁺, \(\bar K^{*0} (892)\) for the first time in a π⁺ p experiment. The data are compared withK ⁺ p data in the same experiment, with results of other experiments and with quark-parton models. Interesting differences are found between ρ^+,0 and ω production.     

Low noise 80–115 GHz quasiparticle mixer with small Nb/Al-Oxide/Nb tunnel junctions

Millimeter-wave characterization of a heterodyne receiver using (2 m²) Nb/Al-Ox/Nb Superconducting-Insulator-Superconducting (SIS) junctions arrays is reported. The fabrication of the Nb/Al-Ox/Nb SIS junction arrays as a heterodyne mixer is described. The leakage current of these junctions is below 2A at 4.2K and unmeasurable at 2.5K. The receiver gave a noise temperature Double Side Band (DSB) between 63K and 187K over the frequency range 80 to 115 GHz at the first conversion peak. The results are comparable to those obtained with SIS receivers using well researched lead junctions. Contrary to the lead junctions, our mixer using all Nb junctions have proven remarkably stable with respect to thermal cycling, characteristics which are required for space applications. To our knowledge, this is the most reliable low noise receiver operating in this frequency range.     

Stochastic algorithms with armijo stepsizes for minimization of functions

Stochastic algorithms for optimization problems, where function evaluations are done by Monte Carlo simulations, are presented. At each iteratex _i, they draw a predetermined numbern(i) of sample points from an underlying probability space; based on these sample points, they compute a feasible-descent direction, an Armijo stepsize, and the next iteratex _i+1. For an appropriate optimality function , corresponding to an optimality condition, it is shown that, ifn(i) , then (x _i) 0, whereJ is a set of integers whose upper density is zero. First, convergence is shown for a general algorithm prototype: then, a steepest-descent algorithm for unconstrained problems and a feasible-direction algorithm for problems with inequality constraints are developed. A numerical example is supplied.     

Second-order necessary optimality conditions for domain optimization problems of the Neumann type

In this paper, we treat a domain optimization problem in which the boundary-value problem is a Neumann problem. In the case where the domain is in a three-dimensional Euclidean space, the first-order and the second-order necessary conditions which the optimal domain must satisfy are derived under a constraint which is the generalization of the requisite of constant volume.Portions of this paper were presented at the 13th IFIP Conference on System Modelling and Optimization, Tokyo, Japan, 1987.     

Spin wave spectrum and exchange interactions in the antiferromagnetic garnet Ca3Cr2Ge3O12 by inelastic neutron scattering

We have measured the spin wave spectrum for the garnet Ca₃Cr₂Ge₃O₁₂ by means of inelastic neutron scattering. The data can be well described in the framework of linear spin wave theory if we assume a Heisenberg model with two exchange parameters up to the next nearest neighbours (J ₁ andJ ₂) and a staggered anisotropy field (A). A least squares fit to the observed dispersion relations yield the following values for these parameters: J ₁=–0.582(8)K,J ₂=0.416(4)K,A=0.25(8)K. Although symmetry requires that two nearest neighbour exchange constantsJ ₁ andJ ₁ ^' must be distinguished, only the average J ₁=(J ₁+3J ₁ ^' )/4 and the condition –0.35 K <J ₁=J ₁-J ₁ ^' <0.50 K could be deduced from the experiment. The most striking result is the positive value ofJ ₂. We discuss the implications for an understanding of superexchange mediated by more than one oxygen atom. In an extension of the conventional analysis we have calculated the integrated intensities in order to check the eigenvectors directly. Good agreement between observed and calculated intensities was obtained.     

The measurements of correlation times of molecules adsorbed on silica gel,alumina and charcoal using NOESY and MAS NMR

The correlation times (τ_c) and cross relaxation rates of toluene, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, water-acetone and water-dioxane adsorbed on silica gel, alumina and charcoal were obtained by measurements of the integrated intensities of cross and diagonal peaks in their NOESY spectra. The (τ_c) of the above mentioned systems is in the range of 10^?6?10^?9 s, much longer than that in the liquid (10^?12?10^?14 s). It was found that intramolecular rotation of toluene adsorbed on charcoal is slower than that on SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and the inversion of α and β protons in tetrahydrofuran is very fast (τ_c = 1.76×10^?9 s). The cross relaxation plays an important role in the relaxation of molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces with low electron densities.