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In this paper, we present a method for segmenting lung lobe regions and segmental lobe regions from 3D CT datasets. In a CAD system for the chest, it is very important to understand structures of the chest by a computer. It is required to develop algorithms that automatically segment organ regions of the chest area from input 3-D chest CT datasets. This paper tries to divide lung regions into lung lobe regions and segmental lobe regions by the figure decomposition process and the Voronoi division process. In this method, we enhance sheet structures on CT images by using eigenvalues of a Hessian matrix. Also, the lung regions are segmented by simple thresholding and morphological filtering. Then, we subtract sheet structures from the lung regions. By applying the figure decomposition process, we obtain each lung lobe region. Segmental lobe regions are obtained by the Voronoi division process using bronchial branch information The proposed method was applied to thirteen cases of 3-D chest CT images. Experimental results showed that the proposed method can extract lung lobe regions and segmental lobe regions even for cases of incomplete fissure or over-extraction of interlobar pleura.

The detailed description about the OMIS (One Machine-Infinite Bus) and the SLIS(Single Load -Infinite Bus)will be done in this paper and the detailed introduction of these two concepts(the coherent generators and the coherent buses) and their aggregation. Based on the new OMIS model, the new methods of identifying the coherent generators and aggregating the coherent generators will be advanced. Based on the coherent generators, the new algorithm for the reserving coefficient of the steady angular stability will comes into being. Based on the new SLIS model, the new methods of identifying the coherent buses and aggregating the coherent buses will be put forward. Based on the coherent buses, the new algorithm for the reserving coefficient of the steady voltage stability will be brought about. A real example is used to validate the idea in this paper. A discussion on the angular references between the online data and the offline data will be done when the phases from the WAMS are used. The steady stability of two generators model will be acquired.

Background Epigenetic dysregulation has been increasingly proposed as a hallmark of cancer. Here, the aim of this study is to establish an epigenetic-related signature for predicting the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. Results Five epigenetic-related genes (ERGs) (ARRB1, PARP1, PKM, TFDP1, and YWHAZ) were identified as prognostic hub genes and used to establish a prognostic signature. According our risk score system, LUAD patients were stratified into high and low risk groups, and patients in the high risk group had a worse prognosis. ROC analysis indicated that the signature was precise in predicting the prognosis. A new nomogram was constructed based on the five hub genes, which can predict the OS of every LUAD patients. The calibration curves showed that the nomogram had better accuracy in prediction. Finally, candidate drugs that aimed at hub ERGs were identified, which included 47 compounds. Conclusions Our epigenetic-related signature nomogram can effectively and reliably predict OS of LUAD patients, also we provide precise targeted chemotherapeutic drugs. Methods The genomic data and clinical data of LUAD cohort were downloaded from the TCGA database and ERGs were obtained from the EpiFactors database. GSE31210 and GSE50081 microarray datasets were included as independent external datasets. Univariate Cox, LASSO regression, and multivariate Cox analyses were applied to construct the epigenetic-related signature.

It is still important and difficult for a biped robot to optimally generate the stable walking trajectory, because the mechanical limitations of the given biped robot should be also considered carefully. In this paper, we assume that different walking trajectories enable to be generated according to various set of weights of torques loaded in each partial joint (e.g., ankle, knee, and hip joint). We present a method for generating various bipedal walking trajectories corresponding to a set of weighted torques. For this purpose, Tchebychev method and sequential quadratic programming are employed to optimize single cost functions consisting in a set of weight torques. Some notations and constraints introduced in [1] are used and modified in this paper.

Data on financial challenges in intercollegiate athletics consistently show that expenses are outpacing new revenues. Since 2004, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions’ median revenues increased 94 percent while expenses increased 120 percent during the same time period (Fulks, 2015). As such, institutions face tough decisions about the possible elimination of sport teams to control costs. Current accounting methods in intercollegiate athletics, however, make it difficult for leaders to deliver informed decisions concerning sport sponsorship, Title IX compliance, and overall program operations. Institutional leaders, the NCAA, reform groups such as the Knight Commission, and the federal government, are calling for athletic departments to report more consistent and accurate financial data. The purpose of this paper is to respond to the call for accounting reform in intercollegiate athletics; specifically, to create a better representation of the costs associated with each sport and to show how accurate costing provides insight for Title IX compliance. By applying activity-based costing (ABC) to a budget from one NCAA FBS university, this research revealed the accurate cost of sport sponsorship varied greatly in comparison with institutional reporting. ABC application eliminated the expense category of unallocated (i.e., marketing, compliance, general administration, etc.) and distributed expenses back to each sport. Results showed women’s sports increased from 24 percent of total costs to 32 percent of total costs within the activity-based costing application (data relevant to prong three of Title IX). Institutional leaders should be encouraged to use ABC to better understand department operational costs.

China is the most productive seaweed farming country in the world and her seaweed imports and exports have a significant impact on global seaweed trade commodities and food security. Nevertheless, few studies had delved into the main characteristics and development of China's seaweed farming industry. This paper aims to narrow this research gap by analyzing trade patterns in China's seaweed products and the international competitiveness of seaweed product by using the international market share index (IMS), the trade competitiveness index (TC), and revealed comparative advantage index (RCA) from 2002 to 2017. The results showed that Japan, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Chile, Peru, and the Republic of Korea are China's main trade partners, the total trade value of China's seaweed products has grown rapidly, its imports have gradually exceeded exports, the trade deficit continues to expand, and its competitiveness keeps decreasing. The reasons for this trend may include the changing seaweed trade commodity structure, product differentiation, increased government support in competing countries, and trade barriers among the trade partners. We propose actively expanding international trade markets, establishing a strong seaweed product processing industry to develop high value-added seaweed products, optimizing the trade commodity structure, and differentiating of seaweed products to improve the competitiveness of China's seaweed products.

Embedded software is at the core of current and future telecommunication, automotive, multimedia, and industrial automation systems. The success of practically any industrial application depends on the embedded software system's dependability, and one method to verify the dependability of a system is testing its robustness. The motivation behind this paper is to provide a knowledge base of the state of the practice in robustness testing of embedded software systems and to compare this to the state of the art. We have gathered the information on the state of the practice in robustness testing from seven different industrial domains (telecommunication, automotive, multimedia, critical infrastructure, aerospace, consumer products, and banking) by conducting 13 semi-structured interviews. We investigate the different aspects of robustness testing, such as the general view of robustness, relation to requirements engineering and design, test execution, failures, and tools. We highlight knowledge from the state of the practice of robustness testing of embedded software systems. We found different robustness testing practices that have not been previously described. This paper shows that the state of the practice, when it comes to robustness testing, differs between organizations and is quite different from the state of the art described in the scientific literature. For example, methods commonly described in the literature (e.g., the fuzzy approach) are not used in the organizations we studied. Instead, the interviewees described several ad hoc approaches that take specific scenarios into account (e.g., power failure or overload). Other differences we found concern the classification of robustness failures, the hypothesized root causes of robustness failures, and the types of tools used for robustness testing. This paper is a first step in capturing the state of the practice of robustness testing of embedded software systems. The results can be used by both researchers and practitioners. Researchers can use our findings to understand the gap between the state of the art and the state of the practice and develop their studies to fill this gap. Practitioners can also learn from this knowledge base regarding how they can improve their practice and acquire other practices. TOCSYC

Optimal pressure regulation to reduce water losses in water distribution systems (WDSs) becomes an important concern due to the increasing water demand and the threat of drought in many areas of the world. The leakage amount in a WDS depends heavily on its operating pressure and thus can be minimized by implementing optimal pressure strategies through pressure reducing valves (PRVs). To achieve this, a model-based optimization is necessary, where an accurate model of the PRVs is required. The PRV models having been used until now for pressure regulations are two-mode models which cannot circumstantiate many situations occurring in WDSs. In this paper, we extend the existing model by a three-mode one for PRVs which is able to describe the required circumstances of pressure regulations in WDSs. The non-smoothness of this model is smoothed by an approximation approach, thus allowing the formulation and solution of a continuous nonlinear optimization problem for optimal pressure regulation. Two benchmark WDSs are used to verify our approach and it can be shown from the results that our PRV model outperforms the existing models in terms of the quality and accuracy of the optimal solutions.

This paper proposes a static modeling and power flow calculation of the More Electric Aircraft (MEA) power system to study the stability and the fault analysis. Combined with the common land power system, the structure and characteristics of MEA power system are firstly illustrated and the static models are built. Then, on the basis of the alternate iteration method, the method to calculate and analysis the AC/DC hybrid MEA power system is described. Finally, the power flow calculation results and adjust strategy under different working period are showed with an example of Boeing 787. The simulation results showed that the programmed algorithm can accord with the characteristics of MEA power system and the power flow distribution and adjustment strategy are simple and clear.

Many research projects and implementations related to QoS (Quality of Service) management technologies for providing stable network services have been undertaken. To perform QoS management, traffic classes are required. Generally, traffic is classified by setting priorities for packets, and the methods of setting those priorities include passive admission control in which clients set priorities and active admission control in which network edge routers check traffic and set priorities. To perform active admission control, identification information such as a TCP or UDP header must be inspected. However, with existing security protocols such as ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) or SSH (Secure Shell), these kinds of information cannot be inspected because they are encrypted. Based on the point of view that active admission control should be performed to simplify QoS management of IP networks, the authors of this paper propose a security protocol named ESPQ (ESP considered QoS) for constructing active admission controllable packets and investigate the stability of that protocol. They also perform implementation experiments to show that existing control equipment such as routers can perform QoS management of ESPQ packets. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 87(2): 47–58, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.10215