Using a Blur Metric to Estimate Linear Motion Blur Parameters

Motion blur is a common artifact in image processing, specifically in e-health services, which is caused by the motion of a camera or scene. In linear motion cases, the blur kernel, i.e., the function that simulates the linear motion blur process, depends on the length and direction of blur, called linear motion blur parameters. The estimation of blur parameters is a vital and sensitive stage in the process of reconstructing a sharp version of a motion blurred image, i.e., image deblurring. The estimation of blur parameters can also be used in e-health services. Since medical images may be blurry, this method can be used to estimate the blur parameters and then take an action to enhance the image. In this paper, some methods are proposed for estimating the linear motion blur parameters based on the extraction of features from the given single blurred image. The motion blur direction is estimated using the Radon transform of the spectrum of the blurred image. To estimate the motion blur length, the relation between a blur metric, called NIDCT (Noise-Immune Discrete Cosine Transform-based), and the motion blur length is applied. Experiments performed in this study showed that the NIDCT blur metric and the blur length have a monotonic relation. Indeed, an increase in blur length leads to increase in the blurriness value estimated via the NIDCT blur metric. This relation is applied to estimate the motion blur. The efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated by performing some quantitative and qualitative experiments.

Tsallis statistics and generalized uncertainty principle

It has been argued that non-Gaussian statistics provide a natural framework to investigate semiclassical effects in the context of Planck-scale deformations of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation. Here we substantiate this point by considering the Unruh effect as a specific playground. By working in the realm of quantum field theory, we reformulate the derivation of the modified Unruh effect from the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) in the language of the nonextensive Tsallis thermostatistics. We find a nontrivial monotonic relation between the nonextensivity index q and the GUP deformation parameter $$\beta $$ β , which generalizes an earlier result obtained in quantum mechanics. We then extend our analysis to black hole thermodynamics. We preliminarily discuss our outcome in the broader context of an effective description of Planck-scale gravitational physics based on Tsallis theory.

Rapid measurement of particle hygroscopicity and CCN activity using broad scanning supersaturation (BS2)-CCNC: calibration and intercomparison

<p>For understanding and assessing aerosol-cloud interactions and their impact on climate, reliable measurement data of aerosol particle hygroscopicity and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity are required. Furthermore, aerosol liquid water, mainly controlled by hygroscopicity, affects heterogeneous and multiphase reactions of aerosol particles. The CCN activity of aerosol particles can be determined by scanning particle size and supersaturation (S) in the CCN measurement. Compared to the existing CCN activity measurement, a broad supersaturation scanning CCN (BS2-CCN) system, in which particles are exposed to a range of S simultaneously, can measure particle hygroscopicity and CCN activity with a high-time resolution. Based on a monotonic relation between the activation supersaturation of aerosol particles (S<sub>aerosol</sub>)  and the activation fraction (F<sub>act</sub>) of the BS2-CCN measurement, we can derive κ, a single hygroscopicity parameter, directly.</p><p>Here, we describe how the BS2-CCN system can be effectively calibrated and which factors can affect the calibration curve (F<sub>act</sub> - S<sub>aerosol</sub>). For calibration, size-resolved CCN measurements with ammonium sulfate (AS) and sodium chloride particles are performed under the three different thermal gradient (dT) conditions (dT=6, 8, and 10). First, the shape of the calibration curve is primarily influenced by S<sub>max</sub>, maximum S in the activation tube. We need to determine appropriate S<sub>max</sub> depending on particle size and κ to be investigated. To minimize the effect of double/multiple charged particles, small  D<sub>g </sub>and σ<sub>g</sub>  in number size distribution are recommended when generating the calibration aerosols. Sheath-to-aerosol-flow ratio (SAR) is the third factor to be considered. BS2-CCNC system uses a low SAR with a wider inlet compared to the typical CCN measurement, which can make a monotonic relation between F<sub>act</sub> and S<sub>aerosol</sub>. Lastly, F<sub>act </sub>is affected by particle number concentration and has a decreasing rate of 0.02/100 cm<sup>-3</sup> (within N<sub>CN</sub> ~ 300 cm<sup>-3</sup> for AS) due to the water consumption in the chamber. For evaluating the BS2-CCN system, inter-comparison experiments between typical DMA-CCN and BS2-CCN measurement were performed with the laboratory-generated aerosol mixture and ambient aerosols. Statistically good agreements of κ values between DMA-CCN and BS2-CCN measurements for both inter-comparison experiments imply that the BS2-CCN system can measure particle hygroscopicity and CCN activity well compared to the existing measurement. We expect that this new system can be applied to aircraft and ship measurements that require a high-time resolution as well as ground measurement for a broad range of hygroscopicity distribution. Because hygroscopicity is closely related to the fraction of organics/inorganics in aerosol particles, our method can also serve as a complementary approach for fast detection/estimation of aerosol chemical compositions. </p>

Complexity and 1/f slope jointly reflect cortical states across different E/I balances

Characterization of cortical states is essential for understanding brain functioning in the absence of external stimuli. The balance between excitation and inhibition and the number of non-redundant activity patterns, indexed by the 1/f slope and LZc respectively, distinguish cortical states. However, the relation between these two measures has not been characterized. Here we analyzed the relation between 1/f slope and LZc with two modeling approaches and in empirical human EEG and monkey ECoG data. We contrasted resting state with propofol anesthesia, which is known to modulate the excitation-inhibition balance. We found convergent results among all strategies employed, showing an inverse and not trivial monotonic relation between 1/f slope and complexity. This behavior was observed even when the signals’ spectral properties were heavily manipulated, consistent at ECoG and EEG scales. Models also showed that LZc was strongly dependent on 1/f slope but independent of the signal’s spectral power law’s offset. Our results show that, although these measures have very distinct mathematical origins, they are closely related. We hypothesize that differentially entropic regimes could underlie the link between the excitation-inhibition balance and the vastness of repertoire of cortical systems.

Dynamic Moral Hazard and Risk-Shifting Incentives in a Leveraged Firm

I develop an analytically tractable model that integrates the risk-shifting problem between bondholders and shareholders with the moral-hazard problem between shareholders and the manager. An optimal contract binds shareholders and the manager, and this contract’s flexibility allows shareholders to relax the manager’s incentive constraint following a “good” profitability shock. Thus, the optimal contract amplifies the upside and thereby increases shareholder appetite for risk shifting. Whereas some empirical studies find a positive relation between risk shifting and leverage, others find a negative relation. This model predicts a non-monotonic relation between risk shifting and leverage and can reconcile these contradictory empirical findings.

Запись поляризационных голограмм в пленках сополимеров 4-((2-бром-4-нитрофенил)диазенил)фенилметакрилата

Recording media for polarization holography have been created on the basis of 4-((2-bromo-4-nitrophenyl)diazenyl)phenyl methacrylate copolymers, and the properties during that they manifest during recording of holograms of a plane wavefront have been studied. It has been found that the hologram recording rate at room temperature is the same for the perpendicular and parallel polarization of recording rays and the hologram relaxation rate is higher in the case of perpendicular polarization orientation of recording rays. It has been shown that the diffraction efficiency of holograms does not exhibit a monotonic relation with the film softening temperature.

Lack of association in acne and salivary testosterone

The pathogenesis of acne vulgaris has only been partially elucidated. Various hormones, especially androgens, are likely to play a role, but results of studies are still inconclusive. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether day to day variation in salivary testosterone correlates with acne in males. Saliva samples were collected for 120 consecutive days from each of the 40 males. Salivary testosterone concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Facial acne lesions were assessed on a daily basis by photography by the participating males. Potential confounders’ (sexual intercourse, masturbation, physical exercise and disease) were also registered every day by the participants. A significant but weak association between salivary testosterone and acne was found (n = 4602, r = 0.031, P = 0.034). Elevated testosterone concentrations were associated with an increase in acne, but when testosterone concentrations were above twice the individual average, acne lesions paradoxically decreased. The current results indicate that daily fluctuations in salivary testosterone levels in males are associated with acne patterns, but the weak correlation suggests that the effect is too small to be of clinical significance. The analysis in the current study was complicated by a large number of days on which the participants had no acne, as well as the seemingly non-monotonic relation between testosterone and acne. This may indicate that the actual relation is stronger than concluded here.

Impacts of Leader–Follower Structure on Pricing and Production Strategies in a Decentralized Assembly System

The last decade has witnessed an increase in the number of big-data-based businesses, in particular for those industries with complicated supply chain structure. This paper investigates the pricing and production strategies in a decentralized supply chain composed of a manufacturer, a key supplier, and a general supplier. We establish two different leader–follower structure models. One is the key supplier–leader game, in which the key supplier decides the prices for the other two components, and the manufacturer and general supplier determine the order and production quantities, respectively. The other model is the manufacturer–leader game, in which the manufacturer offers the prices for the other two components, and the suppliers determine the product quantities. We show that equilibrium price and production quantity under the key supplier–leader game are higher than those under the manufacturer–leader game. The key supplier–leader game is suitable for the channel. Moreover, we show that channel payoff has a non-monotonic relation with the production cost of suppliers; it initially increases and then decreases with production costs.