Conventional surveillance systems present video to a user from more than one camera on a single display. Such a display allows the user to observe different part of the scene, or to observe the same part of the scene from different viewpoints. Each video is usually labeled by a fixed textual annotation displayed under the video segment to identify the image. With the growing number of surveillance cameras set up and the expanse of surveillance area, the conventional split-screen display approach cannot provide intuitive correspondence between the images acquired and the areas under surveillance. Such a system has a number of inherent flaws¡GLower relativity of split videos¡BThe difficulty of tracking new activities¡BLow resolution of surveillance videos¡BThe difficulty of total surveillance¡FIn order to improve the above defects, the ¡§Immersive Surveillance for Total Situational Awareness¡¨ use computer graphic technique to construct 3D model of buildings on the 2D satellite-images, the users can construct the floor platform by defining the information of each floor or building and the position of each camera. This information is combined to construct 3D surveillance scene, and the images acquired by surveillance cameras are pasted into the constructed 3D model to provide intuitively visual presentation. The users could also walk through the scene by a fixed-frequency , self-defined business model to perform a virtual surveillance. Multi-camera Human Tracking on Realtime 3D Immersive Surveillance System based on the ¡§Immersive Surveillance for Total Situational Awareness,¡¨ 1. Salient object detection¡GThe System converts videos to corresponding image sequences and analyze the videos provided by each camera. In order to filter out the foreground pixels, the background model of each image is calculated by pixel-stability-based background update algorithm. 2. Nighttime image fusion¡GUse the fuzzy enhancement method to enhance the dark area in nighttime image, and also maintain the saturation information. Then apply the Salient object detection Algorithm to extract salient objects of the dark area. The system divides fusion results into 3 parts: wall, ceiling, and floor, then pastes them as materials into corresponding parts of 3D scene. 3. Multi-camera human tracking¡GApply connected component labeling to filter out small area and save each block¡¦s infomation. Use RGB-weight percentage information in each block and 5-state status (Enter¡BLeave¡BMatch¡BOcclusion¡BFraction) to draw out the trajectory of each person in every camera¡¦s field of view on the 3D surveillance scene. Finally, fuse every camera together to complete the multi-camera realtime people tracking. Above all, we can track every human in our 3D immersive surveillance system without watching out each of thousand of camera views.

Grouper (Epinephelus coioides) is one of the important farmed fish in the southern Taiwan. However, grouper aquaculture in Taiwan has a serious problem of infection, especially in grouper larvae breeding stage. The infection resulted in very high mortality, which causes massive economic loss. Therefore, early detecting the presence of pathogen is critical for preventing epidemic outbreak. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is one of proinflammatory cytokines that form a feedback control loop with anti-inflammatory cytokines to maintain the homeostasis of host immune response. The increase of IL-1 expression could be an indicator of pathogenic insult. In this study, total RNA of Epinephelus coioides fertilized egg was extracted for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to amplify cDNA of IL -1£]. The cDNA amplified was then cloned into pGEX4T-3 for the expression and purification of GST-IL-1£] fusion protein. GST-IL-1£] fusion protein purified was then used to immunize New Zealand white rabbit for generation of antiserum against IL-1£]. Western blot result confirmed the specificity of antiserum as the immune serum, but not the preimmune serum, detected the immunogen GST-IL-1s. Further experiments using live Epinephelus coioides injected with or without lipopolysarcharides (LPS) further confirmed that this antiserum could detect a massive increase of IL-1£] protein after the injection of LPS in either protein lysate by western blotting or in frozen tissue section of head kidney by immunohistochemistry. In summary, we successfully generated a rabbit specific antiserum against IL-1£] of Epinephelus coioides , which could be a useful reagent for future analysis of fish immune response upon pathogen infection.

The effect of single mode initial conditions at the interface of Rayleigh-Taylor(RT) mixing are experimentally examined utilizing the low Atwood number water channel facility at Texas A&M. The water channel convects two separated stratified flows and unifies them at the end of a splitter plate. The RT instability is attained by convecting a cold stream above a warmer stream. Average density calculations are based on long time average optical measurements. The water channel was modifified with a flapper fin like device at the end of the splitter plate which was actuated by a computer controlled servo motor. Other modifications to the experiment were implemented resulting in reduced uncertainty. The experiment examined five different modes in addition to the baseline: 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, 6 cm, and 8 cm wavelengths. The mixing width growth rates were shown to be dependent on initial conditions. Additionally, it appears that the growth rates commence with terminal velocity and are observed to line up with the baseline case.

In the first part of my dissertation we focused on the development of covalently linking compounds that bind gp120 with those that bind gp41 in order to block HIV fusion. We used griffithsin or CD4M33, that both bind to gp120, covalently linked with C-peptide C37 of gp41. The results show the linked compound Griff37 is several-fold more potent than griffithsin alone in both fusion and viral assay, making Griff37 an attractive candidate for further development as a microbicide against HIV. In the second part of my dissertation we investigate the effect of combining HIV fusion inhibitors having differing mechanisms of action. We used P2-RANTES and RANTES that both bind to the chemokine receptor CCR5 on the surface of the human cells along with C-peptides C37 and C34 that bind the viral envelop glycoprotein gp41. We found that the combination of RANTES with C37/C34 has an additive effect on fusion assay. In contrast P2-RANTES and C37/C34 shows synergy in inhibition of cell fusion. In viral assays using MAGI cells the synergy between P2-RANTES and C37/C34 is minimal. In the third part of my dissertation we focused on characterization of two examples of evolutionarily conserved unfavorable sequence motifs that affect quaternary structure. In contrast to the straightforward action of favorable sequences, these unfavorable motifs produce interactions disfavoring one outcome to indirectly promote another one. To identify such motifs, we propose and developed a statistically validated computational method combining structure and phylogeny. This approach was applied in an analysis of the alternate forms of homodimerization exhibited in the chemokine family. We identified two evolutionarily conserved sequence motifs in the CC subfamilies: a drastic two-residue deletion (ERV) and a simple point mutation (V27R). Cloned into the CXCL8 background, these two motifs were experimentally proven to confer a monomeric state. NMR analyses indicate that these variants are structured in solution and retain the chemokine fold. Structurally, the motifs retain a chemokine tertiary fold while introducing unfavorable quaternary interactions that inhibit CXCL8 dimerization.

The crystallization kinetics and the melting behavior of a random copolyester with equal amounts of ethylene- and trimethylene- terephthalate units were studied by using a modulated differential scanning calorimeter in both conventional mode (DSC) and modulated mode (TMDSC). Polarizing light microscope (PLM) was used to study the spherulite growth rates and spherulite patterns. Isothermal crystallization was performed at temperatures (TC) between 115 and 142¢J. The Avrami exponents, n1, were found to increase from 3.00 to 3.22 with an increasing TC. At the highest TC, it should be a sporadic nucleation with spherical growth, i.e. n1 = 4. The value of n1 less than 4 and the slow rate of crystallization indicate that both primary and secondary crystallization occurs in parallel rather than in series. Triple- and double- melting peaks were observed for the melting behavior of DSC at 10¢J/min and of TMDSC at 2¢J/min. The results of WAXD, DSC and TMDSC indicate the coexistence of two melting mechanisms, i.e., dual morphologies and the recrystallization process. The Hoffman-Weeks plot gave an equilibrium melting temperature of 176.6¢J from the reversing curves of TMDSC. In this study, the regime II¡÷III transition temperature can be estimated from the inverse of the half-time of crystallization as overall growth rate and the growth rate. Meanwhile, a clear change in morphology from negative regular to banded spherulites was also observed around 132¢J by using PLM. The heat of fusion of polymer is customarily evaluated through the melting point depression measurements with the thermodynamic melting points. Application of the Flory equation to the PET/PTT random copolyesters diluted with di-n-butyl phthalate gave the values of the heat of fusion to be 4.48, 3.43 and 3.07 kcal/mole, respectively, for the random copolyesters containing 28, 38 and 50 mole % of ethylene terephthalate unit. The corresponded values of the interaction energy of mixing at infinite dilution were 3.90, 2.85 and 2.75 cal/cc.

This paper presents a novel integration technique for segmented 3D profiles measured by projected fringe profilometry. Fringe patterns are projected to the inspected surface. The projected patterns fix their positions relative to the tested object during two segmented measurements. Thus, finding two matched surface points becomes a problem of searching for two identical phases in the fused data sets. This novel integration technique can match images successfully and achieve pixel-to-pixel registration easily even in the presence of geometric deformation, illumination changes, and severe occlusions. It is superior to the other methods because of its: (1) High matching accuracy; (2) Improved robustness; (3) Reduced computational time; (4) Capability of compensating distortions of the optical system at every pixel location; (5) Suitable for images rotating or scaling; and (6) Suitable for any other projected fringe measurement method. We also propose a method to design and fabricate a 2-D fringe pattern which can be applied to the integration technique for segmented 3D profiles. Campered with using 1-D fringe patterns for image registration, using a 2-D fringe pattern saves the measurement time and further proveds more tolerence to hand the shadow and noise problems. Tests of the system performance have been carried out that the accuracy of the registration scheme is 5.96% of image pixel size. Therefore, this technique can be extensively used in modern high technology industry. Especially when it requires higher resolution close-up images or overcomes the issue of not every inspected object can be fully expressed just by a single full-field measurement, it is necessary to use this integration technique.

No description available.

Methods to improve performance of sensors with regard to sensor nonlinearity, sensor noise and sensor bandwidths are investigated and new algorithms are developed. The necessity of the proposed research has evolved from the ever-increasing need for greater precision and improved reliability in sensor measurements. After describing the current state of the art of sensor related issues like nonlinearity and bandwidth, research goals are set to create a new trend on the usage of sensors. We begin the investigation with a detailed distortion analysis of nonlinear sensors. A need for efficient distortion compensation procedures is further justified by showing how a slight deviation from the linearity assumption leads to a very severe distortion in time and in frequency domains. It is argued that with a suitable distortion compensation technique the danger of having an infinite bandwidth nonlinear sensory operation, which is dictated by nonlinear distortion, can be avoided. Several distortion compensation techniques are developed and their performance is validated by simulation and experimental results. Like any other model-based technique, modeling errors or model uncertainty affects performance of the proposed scheme, this leads to the innovation of robust signal reconstruction. A treatment for this problem is given and a novel technique, which uses a nominal model instead of an accurate model and produces the results that are robust to model uncertainty, is developed. The means to attain a high operating bandwidth are developed by utilizing several low bandwidth pass-band sensors. It is pointed out that instead of using a single sensor to measure a high bandwidth signal, there are many advantages of using an array of several pass-band sensors. Having shown that employment of sensor arrays is an economic incentive and practical, several multi-sensor fusion schemes are developed to facilitate their implementation. Another aspect of this dissertation is to develop means to deal with outliers in sensor measurements. As fault sensor data detection is an essential element of multi-sensor network implementation, which is used to improve system reliability and robustness, several sensor scheduling configurations are derived to identify and to remove outliers.

I examined fission-fusion sociality in dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), and investigated aspects of social convergence between dolphins and great apes. I used boat-based group focal follows and photo-identification to collect data in Admiralty Bay, New Zealand during 2005-2006. I used generalized estimating equations to examine relationships between party (group) size, rate of party fission-fusion, activity, and location; and relationships between leaping frequency and behavior. Using photo-identification images from 2001-2006, I analyzed the strength and temporal patterning of associations, short- and long-term association patterns, preferred/avoided associations, and behaviorally-specific preferred associations. To analyze social convergence between dolphins and great apes, I compared female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops spp.) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) social strategies through literature review. I conducted 171 group focal follows, totaling 157 observation hours. Mean party size was 7.0±6.0 individuals. Party size changed every 5±.47.6 min on average. The most frequent activity was resting (37%), followed by traveling (29%), foraging (18%), and socializing (15%). Foraging was positively related to party size and rate of fission-fusion. Near mussel farms, foraging increased, traveling decreased, and rate of party fusion increased. "Clean" leaps were the most frequent leap type (84%) and were positively related to party size and foraging. Noisy and coordinated leaps were positively related to party size; noisy leaps were negatively related to foraging. Associations during 2001-2006 (N = 228 individuals) were nonrandom for 125 days; associations within one field season were nonrandom for 60 days. Individuals formed preferred/avoided associations during most years. The strongest associations occurred during foraging and socializing; the weakest associations occurred during traveling. Individuals formed preferred associations during foraging, resting, and socializing. Review of female bottlenose dolphin and chimpanzee sociality revealed that: 1) females form weaker bonds and are less social than males, 2) females associate mostly with other females, 3) mothers are often alone with their offspring, 4) mothers (vs. non-mothers) and non-cycling (vs. cycling) females associate less with males, and 5) non-cycling (vs. cycling) females occur in smaller parties. Female dolphins may be more social than female chimpanzees due to decreased scramble competition, increased predation risk, and decreased cost of transport for dolphins vs. chimpanzees.

Since odor-complaint events have been increased year by year in Taiwan, odor control has become an important issue in the air pollution control field. Thus, this paper attempted to investigate if ¡§ozone scrubbing-activation carbon adsorption¡¨ is feasible for efficiently reducing the odor intensity of vented gas from recycled polypropylene (PP) fusion operations. A pilot scrubber (0.17 m L ¡Ñ0.17 m W ¡Ñ1.2m H, packed with Intalox saddles to a total volume of around 0.018 m3) was used for the feasibility test. Odorous gases vented from the fusing operation kept at 200 ¢J in a temperature-controlled oven were used as the target waste gases. Results indicated that with operation conditions of VOCs (as methane) 10-40 ppm, an ozone concentration of 4.0 ppm in the influent gas, a liquid/gas (L/G) ratio of 0.030 L/m3 in the scrubber, and an empty bed retention time of around 9.7 s in the packed section, around 60% of the VOCs in the influent gas was removed. Most alkenes in the gas were converted into sweet-smell ketones in the ozonated gas. Vented gas from the scrubber was further treated by a granulated activated carbon (GAC) adsorption column with an EBRT of less than 1 s for the gas. An overall VOC removal of around 70% was observed for the full ozonation-GAC process. Only trace amounts of original fume-like and sweet-ketone smells were detected in the treated gases. A test indicated that the overall odor (expressed as the dilution to threshold D/T value) removal was around 70% and the D/T were 733, 309, and 232, respectively, for the influent, ozonation-scrubbing effluent, and GAC effluent. It was estimated that the cost is around NT$ 9.57 for treating 1,000 m3 of the teat gas by the system. Efforts should be made by decreasing the cost by other alternative technologies.