On the EA-style integrated processing of self-contained mathematical texts

A sound and complete first-order goal-oriented sequent-type calculus is developed with ``large-block'' inference rules. In particular, the calculus contains formal analogues of such natural proof-search techniques as handling definitions and applying auxiliary propositions.

Effects of discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation on the quality of bovine spermatozoa evaluated with computer-assisted semen analysis and fluorescent probes association

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of bovine frozen-thawed sperm cells after Percoll gradient centrifugation. Frozen semen doses were obtained from six bulls of different breeds, including three taurine and three Zebu animals. Four ejaculates per bull were evaluated before and after discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation. Sperm motility was assessed by computer-assisted semen analysis and the integrity of the plasma and acrosomal membranes, as well as mitochondrial function, were evaluated using a combination of fluorescent probes propidium iodide, fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin and 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanine iodide. The procedure of Percoll gradient centrifugation increased the percentage of total and progressive sperm motility, beat frequency, rectilinear motility, linearity and rapidly moving cells. In addition, the percentage of cells with intact plasma membrane and mitochondrial membrane potential was increased in post-centrifugation samples. However, the percentage of sperm cells with intact acrosomal membrane was markedly reduced. The method used selected the motile cells with intact plasma membrane and higher mitochondrial functionality in frozen-thawed bull semen, but processing, centrifugation and/or the Percoll medium caused damage to the acrosomal membrane.

Effect of Flasking and Polymerization Techniques on Tooth Movement in Complete Denture Processing

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the artificial tooth positional changes following the flasking and polymerization of complete dentures by a combination of two flasking methods and two polymerization techniques using computer graphic measurements.Materials and Methods: Four groups of waxed complete dentures (n = 10) were invested and polymerized using the following techniques: (1) adding a second investment layer of gypsum and conventional water bath polymerization (Control), (2) adding a second investment layer of gypsum and polymerization with microwave energy (Gyp-micro), (3) adding a second investment layer of silicone (Zetalabor) and conventional polymerization (Silwater), and (4) adding a second investment layer of silicone and polymerization with microwave energy (Silmicro). For each specimen, six segments of interdental distances (A to F) were measured to determine the artificial tooth positions in the waxed and polymerized stages using software program AutoCad R14. The mean values of the changes were statistically compared by univariate ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test at 5% significance.Results: There were no significant differences among the four groups, except for segment D of the Silmicro group (-0.004 +/- 0.032 cm) in relation to the Gypwater group (0.044 +/- 0.031 cm) (p < 0.05), which presented, repectively, expansion and shrinkage after polymerization.Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that although the differences were not statistically significant, the use of a silicone investment layer when flasking complete dentures resulted in the least positional changes of the artificial teeth regardless of the polymerization technique.

Exposed collagen in aged resin-dentin bonds produced on sound and caries-affected dentin in the presence of chlorhexidine

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Computer-assisted analysis of p53 and PCNA expression in oral lesions infected with human papillomavirus

OBJECTIVE: To carry out a retrospective study to determine whether human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and immunohistochemical expression of p53 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) are related to the risk of oral cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-seven oral biopsies, consisting of 30 oral squamous papillomas (OSPs) and 27 oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) were tested for the presence of HPV 6/11 and 16/18 by in situ hybridization using catalyzed signal amplification and in situ hybridization. p53 And PCNA expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and evaluated quantitatively by image analysis. RESULTS: Nineteen of the 57 oral lesions (33.3%) were positive for HPV. HPV 6/11 was found in 6 of 30 (20%) OSPs and 1 of 27 (3.7%) OSCCs. HPV 16/18 was found in 10 of 27 (37%) OSCCs and 2 of 30 (6.7%) OSPs. Sixteen of the 19 HPV-positive cases (84.2%) were p53 negative; 5 (9%) were HPV 6/11 and 11 (19%) HPV 16/18, with an inverse correlation between the presence of HPV DNA and p53 expression (P=.017, P < .05). PCNA expression appeared in 18 (94.7%) of HPV positive cases, showing that HPV 16/18 was associated with intensity of PCNA expression and with OSCCs (P=.037, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Quantitative evaluation of p53 by image analysis showed an inverse correlation between p53 expression and HPV presence, suggesting protein degradation. Image analysis also demonstrated that PCNA expression was more intense in HPV DNA 16/18 OSCCs. These findings suggest involvement of high-risk HPV types in oral carcinogenesis.

Common architecture for discrete wavelet transform analysis and synthesis with sequential and constant processing elements

This paper adresses the problem on processing biological data such as cardiac beats, audio and ultrasonic range, calculating wavelet coefficients in real time, with processor clock running at frequency of present ASIC's and FPGA. The Paralell Filter Architecture for DWT has been improved, calculating wavelet coefficients in real time with hardware reduced to 60%. The new architecture, which also processes IDWT, is implemented with the Radix-2 or the Booth-Wallace Constant multipliers. Including series memory register banks, one integrated circuit Signal Analyzer, ultrasonic range, is presented.

Implementation of filters for image pre-processing for leaf analyses in plantations

In this work an image pre-processing module has been developed to extract quantitative information from plantation images with various degrees of infestation. Four filters comprise this module: the first one acts on smoothness of the image, the second one removes image background enhancing plants leaves, the third filter removes isolated dots not removed by the previous filter, and the fourth one is used to highlight leaves' edges. At first the filters were tested with MATLAB, for a quick visual feedback of the filters' behavior. Then the filters were implemented in the C programming language. At last, the module as been coded in VHDL for the implementation on a Stratix II family FPGA. Tests were run and the results are shown in this paper. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

The application of distributed virtual machines for enterprise computer management: A two-tier network file system for image provisioning and management

In order to simplify computer management, several system administrators are adopting advanced techniques to manage software configuration of enterprise computer networks, but the tight coupling between hardware and software makes every PC an individual managed entity, lowering the scalability and increasing the costs to manage hundreds or thousands of PCs. Virtualization is an established technology, however its use is been more focused on server consolidation and virtual desktop infrastructure, not for managing distributed computers over a network. This paper discusses the feasibility of the Distributed Virtual Machine Environment, a new approach for enterprise computer management that combines virtualization and distributed system architecture as the basis of the management architecture. © 2008 IEEE.

Mandible protrusion and decrease of TMJ sounds: An electrovibratographic examination

This study quantified by, electrovibratography, the amount of mandible protrusion required to decrease significantly temporomandibular joint (TMJ) vibratory energy as an aid in the diagnosis of the recapture of anteriorly displaced disk. Eighteen patients diagnosed as having anterior disk displacement with reduction and TMJ clicking were submitted to electrovibratographic examination at the first appointment and treated with a stabilizing appliance and anterior positioning appliance with 1 to 5 mm protrusion. Vibratory energy was checked in each of these positions. Baseline data were used as control. At the first appointment, the patients had vibrations with more elevated intensities at the middle and late phases of the mouth opening cycle. At only one clinical step, mandible protrusion was obtained with the anterior repositioning appliance, ranging from 1 to 5 mm protusion. At each new position, a new electrovibratographic exam was made. After the 5-mm mandibular projection, only 2 patients presented vibration, with means between 0.6 and 2.8 Hz. Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey's test (α=0.05). The outcomes of this study indicate that 3 mm is the minimum amount of mandible protrusion to significantly decrease the TMJ vibratory energy and to recapture the displaced articular disk.

JSEG-based image segmentation in computer vision for agricultural mobile robot navigation

This project aims to apply image processing techniques in computer vision featuring an omnidirectional vision system to agricultural mobile robots (AMR) used for trajectory navigation problems, as well as localization matters. To carry through this task, computational methods based on the JSEG algorithm were used to provide the classification and the characterization of such problems, together with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for pattern recognition. Therefore, it was possible to run simulations and carry out analyses of the performance of JSEG image segmentation technique through Matlab/Octave platforms, along with the application of customized Back-propagation algorithm and statistical methods in a Simulink environment. Having the aforementioned procedures been done, it was practicable to classify and also characterize the HSV space color segments, not to mention allow the recognition of patterns in which reasonably accurate results were obtained.

ANN statistical image recognition method for computer vision in agricultural mobile robot navigation

The main application area in this project, is to deploy image processing and segmentation techniques in computer vision through an omnidirectional vision system to agricultural mobile robots (AMR) used for trajectory navigation problems, as well as localization matters. Thereby, computational methods based on the JSEG algorithm were used to provide the classification and the characterization of such problems, together with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for image recognition. Hence, it was possible to run simulations and carry out analyses of the performance of JSEG image segmentation technique through Matlab/Octave computational platforms, along with the application of customized Back-propagation Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) algorithm and statistical methods as structured heuristics methods in a Simulink environment. Having the aforementioned procedures been done, it was practicable to classify and also characterize the HSV space color segments, not to mention allow the recognition of segmented images in which reasonably accurate results were obtained. © 2010 IEEE.

Pattern recognition structured heuristics methods for image processing in mobile robot navigation

In this project, the main focus is to apply image processing techniques in computer vision through an omnidirectional vision system to agricultural mobile robots (AMR) used for trajectory navigation problems, as well as localization matters. To carry through this task, computational methods based on the JSEG algorithm were used to provide the classification and the characterization of such problems, together with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for pattern recognition. Therefore, it was possible to run simulations and carry out analyses of the performance of JSEG image segmentation technique through Matlab/Octave platforms, along with the application of customized Back-propagation algorithm and statistical methods as structured heuristics methods in a Simulink environment. Having the aforementioned procedures been done, it was practicable to classify and also characterize the HSV space color segments, not to mention allow the recognition of patterns in which reasonably accurate results were obtained. ©2010 IEEE.

Retention and processing methods of nasal prosthesis

Patients with congenital malformations, traumatic or pathological mutilation and maxillofacial developmental disorders can be restored aesthetically and emotionally by the production and use of facial prostheses. The aim of this study was to review the literature about the retention and processing methods of facial prostheses, and discuss their characteristics. A literature review on Medline (PubMed) database was performed by using the keywords maxillofacial prosthesis, silicone, resin, pigment, cosmetic, prosthetic nose, based on articles published from 1956 to 2010. Several methods of retention, from adhesives to the placement of implants, and different processing methods such as laser, CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping technologies have been reported. There are advantages and disadvantages of each procedure, and none can be classified as better compared to others.

Assessment of the mechanics of a tissue-engineered rat trachea in an image-processing environment

OBJECTIVES: Despite the recent success regarding the transplantation of tissue-engineered airways, the mechanical properties of these grafts are not well understood. Mechanical assessment of a tissue-engineered airway graft before implantation may be used in the future as a predictor of function. The aim of this preliminary work was to develop a noninvasive image-processing environment for the assessment of airway mechanics.METHOD: Decellularized, recellularized and normal tracheas (groups DECEL, RECEL, and CONTROL, respectively) immersed in Krebs-Henseleit solution were ventilated by a small-animal ventilator connected to a Fleisch pneumotachograph and two pressure transducers (differential and gauge). A camera connected to a stereomicroscope captured images of the pulsation of the trachea before instillation of saline solution and after instillation of Krebs-Henseleit solution, followed by instillation with Krebs-Henseleit with methacholine 0.1 M (protocols A, K and KMCh, respectively). The data were post-processed with computer software and statistical comparisons between groups and protocols were performed.RESULTS: There were statistically significant variations in the image measurements of the medial region of the trachea between the groups (two-way analysis of variance [ANOVA], p<0.01) and of the proximal region between the groups and protocols (two-way ANOVA, p<0.01).CONCLUSIONS: The technique developed in this study is an innovative method for performing a mechanical assessment of engineered tracheal grafts that will enable evaluation of the viscoelastic properties of neo-tracheas prior to transplantation.

Application of two segmentation protocols during the processing of virtual images in rapid prototyping: ex vivo study with human dry mandibles

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of virtual three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of human dry mandibles, produced from two segmentation protocols (outline only and all-boundary lines).Twenty virtual three-dimensional (3D) images were built from computed tomography exam (CT) of 10 dry mandibles, in which linear measurements between anatomical landmarks were obtained and compared to an error probability of 5 %.The results showed no statistically significant difference among the dry mandibles and the virtual 3D reconstructions produced from segmentation protocols tested (p = 0,24).During the designing of a virtual 3D reconstruction, both outline only and all-boundary lines segmentation protocols can be used.Virtual processing of CT images is the most complex stage during the manufacture of the biomodel. Establishing a better protocol during this phase allows the construction of a biomodel with characteristics that are closer to the original anatomical structures. This is essential to ensure a correct preoperative planning and a suitable treatment.