As a pathfinder of the SiTian project,the Mini-SiTian(MST)Array,employed three commercial CMOS cameras,represents a next-generation,cost-effective optical time-domain survey project.This paper focuses primarily on the...As a pathfinder of the SiTian project,the Mini-SiTian(MST)Array,employed three commercial CMOS cameras,represents a next-generation,cost-effective optical time-domain survey project.This paper focuses primarily on the precise data processing pipeline designed for wide-field,CMOS-based devices,including the removal of instrumental effects,astrometry,photometry,and flux calibration.When applying this pipeline to approximately3000 observations taken in the Field 02(f02)region by MST,the results demonstrate a remarkable astrometric precision of approximately 70–80 mas(about 0.1 pixel),an impressive calibration accuracy of approximately1 mmag in the MST zero points,and a photometric accuracy of about 4 mmag for bright stars.Our studies demonstrate that MST CMOS can achieve photometric accuracy comparable to that of CCDs,highlighting the feasibility of large-scale CMOS-based optical time-domain surveys and their potential applications for cost optimization in future large-scale time-domain surveys,like the SiTian project.展开更多
This research aims to define an efficient and fast quantification of bitumen removal on the road surface by Digital Imaging Processing (DIP) and spectral analysis. The retrieval of bitumen removal is an important issu...This research aims to define an efficient and fast quantification of bitumen removal on the road surface by Digital Imaging Processing (DIP) and spectral analysis. The retrieval of bitumen removal is an important issue for road management and environmental studies related to asphalt wear and environmental pollution. The calculation of the Exposed Aggregate Index (EAI), based on DIP, allows to quantify in each frame the superficial removal of bitumen and the exposure of aggregates. A procedure, based on non-parametric classification process of digital images, gives a fast response of EAI. A correlation among EAI and spectral data, between 390 nm and 900 nm range, is evaluated. Results show a good correlation between spectral data at different wavelength and EAI. Finally, this work evaluates the possibility to retrieve asphalt bitumen removal through remote sensed imagery.展开更多
Objective To study the effect of using improved 2D computer-assisted fluoroscopic navigation through simulating 3D vertebrae image to guide pedicle screw internal fixation.Methods Posterior pedicle screw internal fixa...Objective To study the effect of using improved 2D computer-assisted fluoroscopic navigation through simulating 3D vertebrae image to guide pedicle screw internal fixation.Methods Posterior pedicle screw internal fixation,distraction展开更多
The aim of this study was to compare the sperm nuclear and acrosomal morphometry of three species of domestic artiodactyls; cattle （Bos taurus）, sheep （Ovis aries）, and pigs （Sus scrofa）. Semen smears of twenty ...The aim of this study was to compare the sperm nuclear and acrosomal morphometry of three species of domestic artiodactyls; cattle （Bos taurus）, sheep （Ovis aries）, and pigs （Sus scrofa）. Semen smears of twenty ejaculates from each species were fixed and labeled with a propidium iodide-Pisum sativum agglutinin （PI/PSA） combination. Digital images of the sperm nucleus, acrosome, and whole sperm head were captured and analyzed. The use of the PI/PSA combination and CASA-Morph fluorescence-based method allowed the capture, morphometric analysis, and differentiation of most sperm nuclei, acrosomes and whole heads, and the assessment of acrosomal integrity with a high precision in the three species studied. For the size of the head and nuclear area, the relationship between the three species may be summarized as bull 〉 ram 〉 boar. However, for the other morphometric parameters （length, width, and perimeter）, there were differences in the relationships between species for sperm nuclei and whole sperm heads. Bull sperm acrosomes were clearly smaller than those in the other species studied and covered a smaller proportion of the sperm head. The acrosomal morphology, small in the bull, large and broad in the sheep, and large, long, and with a pronounced equatorial segment curve in the boar, was species-characteristic. It was concluded that there are clear variations in the size and shape of the sperm head components between the three species studied, the acrosome being the structure showing the most variability, allowing a clear distinction of the spermatozoa of each species.展开更多
Polygonati rhizoma is often used in Chinese medicine and as food.In this study,atmospheric pressure matrixassisted laser desorption ionization and quadruple-time-of-flight(MALDI-Q-TOF)mass spectrometry techniques were...Polygonati rhizoma is often used in Chinese medicine and as food.In this study,atmospheric pressure matrixassisted laser desorption ionization and quadruple-time-of-flight(MALDI-Q-TOF)mass spectrometry techniques were applied to P.rhizoma samples from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua species.Positive ions were mainly detected in the mass range of m/z 200-600,while negative ions were mainly observed in the mass range of m/z 100-450.A total of 263 components were identified and the spatial distribution and changes in saccharides contents during the steaming process of P.rhizoma were investigated.Monosaccharide and disaccharide exhibit a relatively uniform distribution,while the oligosaccharides were mainly found in the bast of fresh P.rhizoma.Although the contents of monosaccharide and disaccharide were increased during steaming,that of trisaccharide,tetrasaccharide,and pentasaccharide were decreased.We used the 5 saccharide types with the greatest variation in content as variables for the principal component analysis(PCA)and cluster analysis.Both PCA and cluster analysis showed that these 5 saccharides can be used as markers in the steaming process of the P.rhizoma.Present study of mass spectrometry imaging provides novel insights into the spatiotemporal accumulation patterns of saccharides in P.rhizoma,improving our understanding of the steaming process.展开更多
Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)imaging method(GIM)has been successfully applied to global regions to investigate vertical land motion(VLM)of the Earth's surface.GNSS images derived from conventional GIM m...Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)imaging method(GIM)has been successfully applied to global regions to investigate vertical land motion(VLM)of the Earth's surface.GNSS images derived from conventional GIM method may present fragmented patches and encounter problems caused by excessive smoothing of velocity peaks,leading to difficulty in short-wavelength deformation detection and improper geophysical interpretation.Therefore,we propose a novel GNSS imaging method based on Gaussian process regression with velocity uncertainty considered(GPR-VU).Gaussian processing regression is introduced to describe the spatial relationship between neighboring site pairs as a priori weights and then reweight velocities by known station uncertainties,converting the discrete velocity field to a continuous one.The GPR-VU method is applied to reconstruct VLM images in the southwestern United States and the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,China,using the GNSS position time series in vertical direction.Compared to the traditional GIM method,the root-mean-square(RMS)and overall accuracy of the confusion matrix of the GPR-VU method increase by 5.0%and 14.0%from the 1°×1°checkerboard test in the southwestern United States.Similarly,the RMS and overall accuracy increase by 33.7%and 15.8%from the 6°×6°checkerboard test in the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.These checkerboard tests validate the capability to effectively capture the spatiotemporal variations characteristics of VLM and show that this algorithm outperforms the sparsely distributed network in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.The images from the GPR-VU method using real data in both regions show significant subsidence around Lassen Volcanic in northern California within a 30 km radius,slight uplift in the northern Sichuan Basin,and subsidence in its central and southern sections.These results further qualitatively illustrate consistency with previous findings.The GPR-VU method outperforms in diminishing the effect by fragmented patches,excessive smoothing of velocity peaks,and detecting potential short-wavelength deformations.展开更多
Deep learning now underpins many state-of-the-art systems for biomedical image and signal processing,enabling automated lesion detection,physiological monitoring,and therapy planning with accuracy that rivals expert p...Deep learning now underpins many state-of-the-art systems for biomedical image and signal processing,enabling automated lesion detection,physiological monitoring,and therapy planning with accuracy that rivals expert performance.This survey reviews the principal model families as convolutional,recurrent,generative,reinforcement,autoencoder,and transfer-learning approaches as emphasising how their architectural choices map to tasks such as segmentation,classification,reconstruction,and anomaly detection.A dedicated treatment of multimodal fusion networks shows how imaging features can be integrated with genomic profiles and clinical records to yield more robust,context-aware predictions.To support clinical adoption,we outline post-hoc explainability techniques(Grad-CAM,SHAP,LIME)and describe emerging intrinsically interpretable designs that expose decision logic to end users.Regulatory guidance from the U.S.FDA,the European Medicines Agency,and the EU AI Act is summarised,linking transparency and lifecycle-monitoring requirements to concrete development practices.Remaining challenges as data imbalance,computational cost,privacy constraints,and cross-domain generalization are discussed alongside promising solutions such as federated learning,uncertainty quantification,and lightweight 3-D architectures.The article therefore offers researchers,clinicians,and policymakers a concise,practice-oriented roadmap for deploying trustworthy deep-learning systems in healthcare.展开更多
Structural Health Monitoring(SHM)systems play a key role in managing buildings and infrastructure by delivering vital insights into their strength and structural integrity.There is a need for more efficient techniques...Structural Health Monitoring(SHM)systems play a key role in managing buildings and infrastructure by delivering vital insights into their strength and structural integrity.There is a need for more efficient techniques to detect defects,as traditional methods are often prone to human error,and this issue is also addressed through image processing(IP).In addition to IP,automated,accurate,and real-time detection of structural defects,such as cracks,corrosion,and material degradation that conventional inspection techniques may miss,is made possible by Artificial Intelligence(AI)technologies like Machine Learning(ML)and Deep Learning(DL).This review examines the integration of computer vision and AI techniques in Structural Health Monitoring(SHM),investigating their effectiveness in detecting various forms of structural deterioration.Also,it evaluates ML and DL models in SHM for their accuracy in identifying and assessing structural damage,ultimately enhancing safety,durability,and maintenance practices in the field.Key findings reveal that AI-powered approaches,especially those utilizing IP and DL models like CNNs,significantly improve detection efficiency and accuracy,with reported accuracies in various SHM tasks.However,significant research gaps remain,including challenges with the consistency,quality,and environmental resilience of image data,a notable lack of standardized models and datasets for training across diverse structures,and concerns regarding computational costs,model interpretability,and seamless integration with existing systems.Future work should focus on developing more robust models through data augmentation,transfer learning,and hybrid approaches,standardizing protocols,and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to overcome these limitations and achieve more reliable,scalable,and affordable SHM systems.展开更多
Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(Fuzi)represents a significant traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)that exhibits both notable pharmacological effects and toxicity.Various processing methods are implemented to reduce th...Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(Fuzi)represents a significant traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)that exhibits both notable pharmacological effects and toxicity.Various processing methods are implemented to reduce the toxicity of raw Fuzi by modifying its toxic and effective components,primarily diterpenoid alkaloids.To comprehensively analyze the chemical variations between different Fuzi products,ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS)was employed to systematically characterize Shengfuzi,Heishunpian and Baifupian.A total of 249 diterpenoid alkaloids present in Shengfuzi were identified,while only 111 and 61 in Heishunpian and Baifupian were detected respectively,indicating substantial differences among these products.An untargeted metabolomics approach combined with multivariate statistical analysis revealed 42 potential chemical markers.Through subsequent validation using 52 batches of commercial Heishunpian and Baifupian samples,8 robust markers distinguishing these products were identified,including AC1-propanoic acid-3OH,HE-glucoside,HE-hydroxyvaleric acid-2OH,dihydrosphingosine,N-dodecoxycarbonylvaline and three unknown compounds.Additionally,the MS imaging(MSI)technique was utilized to visualize the spatial distribution of chemical constituents in raw Fuzi,revealing how different processing procedures affect the chemical variations between Heishunpian and Baifupian.The distribution patterns of different diterpenoid alkaloid subtypes partially explained the chemical differences among products.This research provides valuable insights into the material basis for future investigations of different Fuzi products.展开更多
This paper provides a comprehensive introduction to the mini-Si Tian Real-time Image Processing pipeline(STRIP)and evaluates its operational performance.The STRIP pipeline is specifically designed for real-time alert ...This paper provides a comprehensive introduction to the mini-Si Tian Real-time Image Processing pipeline(STRIP)and evaluates its operational performance.The STRIP pipeline is specifically designed for real-time alert triggering and light curve generation for transient sources.By applying the STRIP pipeline to both simulated and real observational data of the Mini-Si Tian survey,it successfully identified various types of variable sources,including stellar flares,supernovae,variable stars,and asteroids,while meeting requirements of reduction speed within 5 minutes.For the real observational data set,the pipeline detected one flare event,127 variable stars,and14 asteroids from three monitored sky regions.Additionally,two data sets were generated:one,a real-bogus training data set comprising 218,818 training samples,and the other,a variable star light curve data set with 421instances.These data sets will be used to train machine learning algorithms,which are planned for future integration into STRIP.展开更多
Breast cancer remains one of the most pressing global health concerns,and early detection plays a crucial role in improving survival rates.Integrating digital mammography with computational techniques and advanced ima...Breast cancer remains one of the most pressing global health concerns,and early detection plays a crucial role in improving survival rates.Integrating digital mammography with computational techniques and advanced image processing has significantly enhanced the ability to identify abnormalities.However,existing methodologies face persistent challenges,including low image contrast,noise interference,and inaccuracies in segmenting regions of interest.To address these limitations,this study introduces a novel computational framework for analyzing mammographic images,evaluated using the Mammographic Image Analysis Society(MIAS)dataset comprising 322 samples.The proposed methodology follows a structured three-stage approach.Initially,mammographic scans are classified using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System(BI-RADS),ensuring systematic and standardized image analysis.Next,the pectoral muscle,which can interfere with accurate segmentation,is effectively removed to refine the region of interest(ROI).The final stage involves an advanced image pre-processing module utilizing Independent Component Analysis(ICA)to enhance contrast,suppress noise,and improve image clarity.Following these enhancements,a robust segmentation technique is employed to delineated abnormal regions.Experimental results validate the efficiency of the proposed framework,demonstrating a significant improvement in the Effective Measure of Enhancement(EME)and a 3 dB increase in Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio(PSNR),indicating superior image quality.The model also achieves an accuracy of approximately 97%,surpassing contemporary techniques evaluated on the MIAS dataset.Furthermore,its ability to process mammograms across all BI-RADS categories highlights its adaptability and reliability for clinical applications.This study presents an advanced and dependable computational framework for mammographic image analysis,effectively addressing critical challenges in noise reduction,contrast enhancement,and segmentation precision.The proposed approach lays the groundwork for seamless integration into computer-aided diagnostic(CAD)systems,with the potential to significantly enhance early breast cancer detection and contribute to improved patient outcomes.展开更多
Backscatter electron analysis from scanning electron microscopes(BSE-SEM)produces high-resolution image data of both rock samples and thin-sections,showing detailed structural and geochemical(mineralogical)information...Backscatter electron analysis from scanning electron microscopes(BSE-SEM)produces high-resolution image data of both rock samples and thin-sections,showing detailed structural and geochemical(mineralogical)information.This allows an in-depth exploration of the rock microstructures and the coupled chemical characteristics in the BSE-SEM image to be made using image processing techniques.Although image processing is a powerful tool for revealing the more subtle data“hidden”in a picture,it is not a commonly employed method in geoscientific microstructural analysis.Here,we briefly introduce the general principles of image processing,and further discuss its application in studying rock microstructures using BSE-SEM image data.展开更多
Rockfalls are among the frequent hazards in underground mines worldwide,requiring effective methods for detecting unstable rock blocks to ensure miners’and equipment’s safety.This study proposes a novel approach for...Rockfalls are among the frequent hazards in underground mines worldwide,requiring effective methods for detecting unstable rock blocks to ensure miners’and equipment’s safety.This study proposes a novel approach for identifying potential rockfall zones using infrared thermal imaging and image segmentation techniques.Infrared images of rock blocks were captured at the Draa Sfar deep underground mine in Morocco using the FLUKE TI401 PRO thermal camera.Two segmentation methods were applied to locate the potential unstable areas:the classical thresholding and the K-means clustering model.The results show that while thresholding allows a binary distinction between stable and unstable areas,K-means clustering is more accurate,especially when using multiple clusters to show different risk levels.The close match between the clustering masks of unstable blocks and their corresponding visible light images further validated this.The findings confirm that thermal image segmentation can serve as an alternative method for predicting rockfalls and monitoring geotechnical issues in underground mines.Underground operators worldwide can apply this approach to monitor rock mass stability.However,further research is recommended to enhance these results,particularly through deep learning-based segmentation and object detection models.展开更多
Fluorescent probes have revolutionized optical imaging and biosensing by enabling real-time visualization, quantification, and tracking of biological processes at molecular and cellular levels. These probes, ranging f...Fluorescent probes have revolutionized optical imaging and biosensing by enabling real-time visualization, quantification, and tracking of biological processes at molecular and cellular levels. These probes, ranging from organic dyes to genetically encoded proteins and nanomaterials, provide unparalleled specificity, sensitivity, and multiplexing capabilities. However, challenges such as brightness, photobleaching, biocompatibility, and emission range continue to drive innovation in probe design and application. This special issue, comprising four review papers and seven original research studies, highlights cutting-edge advancements in fluorescent probe technologies and their transformative roles in super-resolution imaging, in vivo diagnostics, and cancer therapeutics.展开更多
Radio interferometric imaging samples visibility data in the spatial frequency domain and then reconstructs the image.Because of the limited number of antennas,the sampling is usually sparse and noisy.Compressed sensi...Radio interferometric imaging samples visibility data in the spatial frequency domain and then reconstructs the image.Because of the limited number of antennas,the sampling is usually sparse and noisy.Compressed sensingbased on convex optimization is an effective reconstruction method for sparse sampling conditions.The hyperparameter for the l_(1)regularization term is an important parameter that directly affects the quality of the reconstructed image.If its value is too high,the image structure will be missed.If its value is too low,the image will have a low signal-to-noise ratio.The selection of hyperparameters under different levels of image noise is studied in this paper,and solar radio images are used as examples to analyze the optimization results of compressed sensing algorithms under different noise conditions.The simulation results show that when the salt-and-pepper noise density is between 10%and 30%,the compressed sensing algorithm obtains good reconstruction results.Moreover,the optimal hyperparameter value has a linear relationship with the noise density,and the mean squared error of regression is approximately 8.10×10^(-8).展开更多
In recent years, the widespread adoption of parallel computing, especially in multi-core processors and high-performance computing environments, ushered in a new era of efficiency and speed. This trend was particularl...In recent years, the widespread adoption of parallel computing, especially in multi-core processors and high-performance computing environments, ushered in a new era of efficiency and speed. This trend was particularly noteworthy in the field of image processing, which witnessed significant advancements. This parallel computing project explored the field of parallel image processing, with a focus on the grayscale conversion of colorful images. Our approach involved integrating OpenMP into our framework for parallelization to execute a critical image processing task: grayscale conversion. By using OpenMP, we strategically enhanced the overall performance of the conversion process by distributing the workload across multiple threads. The primary objectives of our project revolved around optimizing computation time and improving overall efficiency, particularly in the task of grayscale conversion of colorful images. Utilizing OpenMP for concurrent processing across multiple cores significantly reduced execution times through the effective distribution of tasks among these cores. The speedup values for various image sizes highlighted the efficacy of parallel processing, especially for large images. However, a detailed examination revealed a potential decline in parallelization efficiency with an increasing number of cores. This underscored the importance of a carefully optimized parallelization strategy, considering factors like load balancing and minimizing communication overhead. Despite challenges, the overall scalability and efficiency achieved with parallel image processing underscored OpenMP’s effectiveness in accelerating image manipulation tasks.展开更多
In today’s world,image processing techniques play a crucial role in the prognosis and diagnosis of various diseases due to the development of several precise and accurate methods for medical images.Automated analysis...In today’s world,image processing techniques play a crucial role in the prognosis and diagnosis of various diseases due to the development of several precise and accurate methods for medical images.Automated analysis of medical images is essential for doctors,as manual investigation often leads to inter-observer variability.This research aims to enhance healthcare by enabling the early detection of diabetic retinopathy through an efficient image processing framework.The proposed hybridized method combines Modified Inertia Weight Particle Swarm Optimization(MIWPSO)and Fuzzy C-Means clustering(FCM)algorithms.Traditional FCM does not incorporate spatial neighborhood features,making it highly sensitive to noise,which significantly affects segmentation output.Our method incorporates a modified FCM that includes spatial functions in the fuzzy membership matrix to eliminate noise.The results demonstrate that the proposed FCM-MIWPSO method achieves highly precise and accurate medical image segmentation.Furthermore,segmented images are classified as benign or malignant using the Decision Tree-Based Temporal Association Rule(DT-TAR)Algorithm.Comparative analysis with existing state-of-the-art models indicates that the proposed FCM-MIWPSO segmentation technique achieves a remarkable accuracy of 98.42%on the dataset,highlighting its significant impact on improving diagnostic capabilities in medical imaging.展开更多
Attitude is one of the crucial parameters for space objects and plays a vital role in collision prediction and debris removal.Analyzing light curves to determine attitude is the most commonly used method.In photometri...Attitude is one of the crucial parameters for space objects and plays a vital role in collision prediction and debris removal.Analyzing light curves to determine attitude is the most commonly used method.In photometric observations,outliers may exist in the obtained light curves due to various reasons.Therefore,preprocessing is required to remove these outliers to obtain high quality light curves.Through statistical analysis,the reasons leading to outliers can be categorized into two main types:first,the brightness of the object significantly increases due to the passage of a star nearby,referred to as“stellar contamination,”and second,the brightness markedly decreases due to cloudy cover,referred to as“cloudy contamination.”The traditional approach of manually inspecting images for contamination is time-consuming and labor-intensive.However,we propose the utilization of machine learning methods as a substitute.Convolutional Neural Networks and SVMs are employed to identify cases of stellar contamination and cloudy contamination,achieving F1 scores of 1.00 and 0.98 on a test set,respectively.We also explore other machine learning methods such as ResNet-18 and Light Gradient Boosting Machine,then conduct comparative analyses of the results.展开更多
The mechanical properties and failure mechanism of lightweight aggregate concrete(LWAC)is a hot topic in the engineering field,and the relationship between its microstructure and macroscopic mechanical properties is a...The mechanical properties and failure mechanism of lightweight aggregate concrete(LWAC)is a hot topic in the engineering field,and the relationship between its microstructure and macroscopic mechanical properties is also a frontier research topic in the academic field.In this study,the image processing technology is used to establish a micro-structure model of lightweight aggregate concrete.Through the information extraction and processing of the section image of actual light aggregate concrete specimens,the mesostructural model of light aggregate concrete with real aggregate characteristics is established.The numerical simulation of uniaxial tensile test,uniaxial compression test and three-point bending test of lightweight aggregate concrete are carried out using a new finite element method-the base force element method respectively.Firstly,the image processing technology is used to produce beam specimens,uniaxial compression specimens and uniaxial tensile specimens of light aggregate concrete,which can better simulate the aggregate shape and random distribution of real light aggregate concrete.Secondly,the three-point bending test is numerically simulated.Thirdly,the uniaxial compression specimen generated by image processing technology is numerically simulated.Fourth,the uniaxial tensile specimen generated by image processing technology is numerically simulated.The mechanical behavior and damage mode of the specimen during loading were analyzed.The results of numerical simulation are compared and analyzed with those of relevant experiments.The feasibility and correctness of the micromodel established in this study for analyzing the micromechanics of lightweight aggregate concrete materials are verified.Image processing technology has a broad application prospect in the field of concrete mesoscopic damage analysis.展开更多
Angle detection is a crucial aspect of industrial automation,ensuring precise alignment and orientation ofcomponents in manufacturing processes.Despite the widespread application of computer vision in industrialsettin...Angle detection is a crucial aspect of industrial automation,ensuring precise alignment and orientation ofcomponents in manufacturing processes.Despite the widespread application of computer vision in industrialsettings,angle detection remains an underexplored domain,with limited integration into production lines.Thispaper addresses the need for automated angle detection in industrial environments by presenting a methodologythat eliminates training time and higher computation cost on Graphics Processing Unit(GPU)from machinelearning in computer vision(e.g.,Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN)).Our approach leverages advanced imageprocessing techniques and a strategic combination of algorithms,including contour selection,circle regression,polar warp transformation,and outlier detection,to provide an adaptive solution for angle detection.By configuringthe algorithm with a diverse dataset and evaluating its performance across various objects,we demonstrate itsefficacy in achieving reliable results,with an average error of only 0.5 degrees.Notably,this error margin is 3.274times lower than the acceptable threshold.Our study highlights the importance of accurate angle detection inindustrial settings and showcases the reliability of our algorithm in accurately determining angles,thus contributingto improved manufacturing processes.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Basic R&D Program of China via 2023YFA1608303the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB0550103)+3 种基金the National Science Foundation of China 12422303,12403024,12222301,12173007,and 12261141690the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF under grant Number GZB20240731the Young Data Scientist Project of the National Astronomical Data Center,and the China Post-doctoral Science Foundation No.2023M743447support from the NSFC through grant No.12303039 and No.12261141690.
文摘As a pathfinder of the SiTian project,the Mini-SiTian(MST)Array,employed three commercial CMOS cameras,represents a next-generation,cost-effective optical time-domain survey project.This paper focuses primarily on the precise data processing pipeline designed for wide-field,CMOS-based devices,including the removal of instrumental effects,astrometry,photometry,and flux calibration.When applying this pipeline to approximately3000 observations taken in the Field 02(f02)region by MST,the results demonstrate a remarkable astrometric precision of approximately 70–80 mas(about 0.1 pixel),an impressive calibration accuracy of approximately1 mmag in the MST zero points,and a photometric accuracy of about 4 mmag for bright stars.Our studies demonstrate that MST CMOS can achieve photometric accuracy comparable to that of CCDs,highlighting the feasibility of large-scale CMOS-based optical time-domain surveys and their potential applications for cost optimization in future large-scale time-domain surveys,like the SiTian project.
文摘This research aims to define an efficient and fast quantification of bitumen removal on the road surface by Digital Imaging Processing (DIP) and spectral analysis. The retrieval of bitumen removal is an important issue for road management and environmental studies related to asphalt wear and environmental pollution. The calculation of the Exposed Aggregate Index (EAI), based on DIP, allows to quantify in each frame the superficial removal of bitumen and the exposure of aggregates. A procedure, based on non-parametric classification process of digital images, gives a fast response of EAI. A correlation among EAI and spectral data, between 390 nm and 900 nm range, is evaluated. Results show a good correlation between spectral data at different wavelength and EAI. Finally, this work evaluates the possibility to retrieve asphalt bitumen removal through remote sensed imagery.
文摘Objective To study the effect of using improved 2D computer-assisted fluoroscopic navigation through simulating 3D vertebrae image to guide pedicle screw internal fixation.Methods Posterior pedicle screw internal fixation,distraction
文摘The aim of this study was to compare the sperm nuclear and acrosomal morphometry of three species of domestic artiodactyls; cattle （Bos taurus）, sheep （Ovis aries）, and pigs （Sus scrofa）. Semen smears of twenty ejaculates from each species were fixed and labeled with a propidium iodide-Pisum sativum agglutinin （PI/PSA） combination. Digital images of the sperm nucleus, acrosome, and whole sperm head were captured and analyzed. The use of the PI/PSA combination and CASA-Morph fluorescence-based method allowed the capture, morphometric analysis, and differentiation of most sperm nuclei, acrosomes and whole heads, and the assessment of acrosomal integrity with a high precision in the three species studied. For the size of the head and nuclear area, the relationship between the three species may be summarized as bull 〉 ram 〉 boar. However, for the other morphometric parameters （length, width, and perimeter）, there were differences in the relationships between species for sperm nuclei and whole sperm heads. Bull sperm acrosomes were clearly smaller than those in the other species studied and covered a smaller proportion of the sperm head. The acrosomal morphology, small in the bull, large and broad in the sheep, and large, long, and with a pronounced equatorial segment curve in the boar, was species-characteristic. It was concluded that there are clear variations in the size and shape of the sperm head components between the three species studied, the acrosome being the structure showing the most variability, allowing a clear distinction of the spermatozoa of each species.
基金funded by the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province(2022RC1224,2022ZYC010)the Changsha Science and Technology Program(kh2004018)the Training Program for Excellent Young Innovators of Changsha(kq2206064)。
文摘Polygonati rhizoma is often used in Chinese medicine and as food.In this study,atmospheric pressure matrixassisted laser desorption ionization and quadruple-time-of-flight(MALDI-Q-TOF)mass spectrometry techniques were applied to P.rhizoma samples from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua species.Positive ions were mainly detected in the mass range of m/z 200-600,while negative ions were mainly observed in the mass range of m/z 100-450.A total of 263 components were identified and the spatial distribution and changes in saccharides contents during the steaming process of P.rhizoma were investigated.Monosaccharide and disaccharide exhibit a relatively uniform distribution,while the oligosaccharides were mainly found in the bast of fresh P.rhizoma.Although the contents of monosaccharide and disaccharide were increased during steaming,that of trisaccharide,tetrasaccharide,and pentasaccharide were decreased.We used the 5 saccharide types with the greatest variation in content as variables for the principal component analysis(PCA)and cluster analysis.Both PCA and cluster analysis showed that these 5 saccharides can be used as markers in the steaming process of the P.rhizoma.Present study of mass spectrometry imaging provides novel insights into the spatiotemporal accumulation patterns of saccharides in P.rhizoma,improving our understanding of the steaming process.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42274035)the Major Science and Technology Program for Hubei Province(No.2022AAA002)the Hunan Provincial Land Surveying and Mapping Project(HNGTCH-2023-05)。
文摘Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)imaging method(GIM)has been successfully applied to global regions to investigate vertical land motion(VLM)of the Earth's surface.GNSS images derived from conventional GIM method may present fragmented patches and encounter problems caused by excessive smoothing of velocity peaks,leading to difficulty in short-wavelength deformation detection and improper geophysical interpretation.Therefore,we propose a novel GNSS imaging method based on Gaussian process regression with velocity uncertainty considered(GPR-VU).Gaussian processing regression is introduced to describe the spatial relationship between neighboring site pairs as a priori weights and then reweight velocities by known station uncertainties,converting the discrete velocity field to a continuous one.The GPR-VU method is applied to reconstruct VLM images in the southwestern United States and the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,China,using the GNSS position time series in vertical direction.Compared to the traditional GIM method,the root-mean-square(RMS)and overall accuracy of the confusion matrix of the GPR-VU method increase by 5.0%and 14.0%from the 1°×1°checkerboard test in the southwestern United States.Similarly,the RMS and overall accuracy increase by 33.7%and 15.8%from the 6°×6°checkerboard test in the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.These checkerboard tests validate the capability to effectively capture the spatiotemporal variations characteristics of VLM and show that this algorithm outperforms the sparsely distributed network in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.The images from the GPR-VU method using real data in both regions show significant subsidence around Lassen Volcanic in northern California within a 30 km radius,slight uplift in the northern Sichuan Basin,and subsidence in its central and southern sections.These results further qualitatively illustrate consistency with previous findings.The GPR-VU method outperforms in diminishing the effect by fragmented patches,excessive smoothing of velocity peaks,and detecting potential short-wavelength deformations.
基金supported by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the framework of grant AP23489899“Applying Deep Learning and Neuroimaging Methods for Brain Stroke Diagnosis”.
文摘Deep learning now underpins many state-of-the-art systems for biomedical image and signal processing,enabling automated lesion detection,physiological monitoring,and therapy planning with accuracy that rivals expert performance.This survey reviews the principal model families as convolutional,recurrent,generative,reinforcement,autoencoder,and transfer-learning approaches as emphasising how their architectural choices map to tasks such as segmentation,classification,reconstruction,and anomaly detection.A dedicated treatment of multimodal fusion networks shows how imaging features can be integrated with genomic profiles and clinical records to yield more robust,context-aware predictions.To support clinical adoption,we outline post-hoc explainability techniques(Grad-CAM,SHAP,LIME)and describe emerging intrinsically interpretable designs that expose decision logic to end users.Regulatory guidance from the U.S.FDA,the European Medicines Agency,and the EU AI Act is summarised,linking transparency and lifecycle-monitoring requirements to concrete development practices.Remaining challenges as data imbalance,computational cost,privacy constraints,and cross-domain generalization are discussed alongside promising solutions such as federated learning,uncertainty quantification,and lightweight 3-D architectures.The article therefore offers researchers,clinicians,and policymakers a concise,practice-oriented roadmap for deploying trustworthy deep-learning systems in healthcare.
文摘Structural Health Monitoring(SHM)systems play a key role in managing buildings and infrastructure by delivering vital insights into their strength and structural integrity.There is a need for more efficient techniques to detect defects,as traditional methods are often prone to human error,and this issue is also addressed through image processing(IP).In addition to IP,automated,accurate,and real-time detection of structural defects,such as cracks,corrosion,and material degradation that conventional inspection techniques may miss,is made possible by Artificial Intelligence(AI)technologies like Machine Learning(ML)and Deep Learning(DL).This review examines the integration of computer vision and AI techniques in Structural Health Monitoring(SHM),investigating their effectiveness in detecting various forms of structural deterioration.Also,it evaluates ML and DL models in SHM for their accuracy in identifying and assessing structural damage,ultimately enhancing safety,durability,and maintenance practices in the field.Key findings reveal that AI-powered approaches,especially those utilizing IP and DL models like CNNs,significantly improve detection efficiency and accuracy,with reported accuracies in various SHM tasks.However,significant research gaps remain,including challenges with the consistency,quality,and environmental resilience of image data,a notable lack of standardized models and datasets for training across diverse structures,and concerns regarding computational costs,model interpretability,and seamless integration with existing systems.Future work should focus on developing more robust models through data augmentation,transfer learning,and hybrid approaches,standardizing protocols,and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to overcome these limitations and achieve more reliable,scalable,and affordable SHM systems.
基金supported by the Qi-Huang Chief Scientist Program of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2020)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFC3501705)+1 种基金Shanghai Sailing Program(No.23YF1447500)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2023M732335).
文摘Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata(Fuzi)represents a significant traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)that exhibits both notable pharmacological effects and toxicity.Various processing methods are implemented to reduce the toxicity of raw Fuzi by modifying its toxic and effective components,primarily diterpenoid alkaloids.To comprehensively analyze the chemical variations between different Fuzi products,ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS)was employed to systematically characterize Shengfuzi,Heishunpian and Baifupian.A total of 249 diterpenoid alkaloids present in Shengfuzi were identified,while only 111 and 61 in Heishunpian and Baifupian were detected respectively,indicating substantial differences among these products.An untargeted metabolomics approach combined with multivariate statistical analysis revealed 42 potential chemical markers.Through subsequent validation using 52 batches of commercial Heishunpian and Baifupian samples,8 robust markers distinguishing these products were identified,including AC1-propanoic acid-3OH,HE-glucoside,HE-hydroxyvaleric acid-2OH,dihydrosphingosine,N-dodecoxycarbonylvaline and three unknown compounds.Additionally,the MS imaging(MSI)technique was utilized to visualize the spatial distribution of chemical constituents in raw Fuzi,revealing how different processing procedures affect the chemical variations between Heishunpian and Baifupian.The distribution patterns of different diterpenoid alkaloid subtypes partially explained the chemical differences among products.This research provides valuable insights into the material basis for future investigations of different Fuzi products.
基金supported from the Strategic Pioneer Program of the Astronomy Large-Scale Scientific FacilityChinese Academy of Sciences and the Science and Education Integration Funding of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences+9 种基金the supports from the National Key Basic R&D Program of China via 2023YFA1608303the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB0550103)the supports from the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under grant No.XDB0550000the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC,grant Nos.12422303 and12261141690)the supports from the NSFC(grant No.12403024)supports from the NSFC through grant Nos.11988101 and 11933004the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF under grant No.GZB20240731the Young Data Scientist Project of the National Astronomical Data Centerthe China Post-doctoral Science Foundation(No.2023M743447)supports from the New Cornerstone Science Foundation through the New Cornerstone Investigator Program and the XPLORER PRIZE。
文摘This paper provides a comprehensive introduction to the mini-Si Tian Real-time Image Processing pipeline(STRIP)and evaluates its operational performance.The STRIP pipeline is specifically designed for real-time alert triggering and light curve generation for transient sources.By applying the STRIP pipeline to both simulated and real observational data of the Mini-Si Tian survey,it successfully identified various types of variable sources,including stellar flares,supernovae,variable stars,and asteroids,while meeting requirements of reduction speed within 5 minutes.For the real observational data set,the pipeline detected one flare event,127 variable stars,and14 asteroids from three monitored sky regions.Additionally,two data sets were generated:one,a real-bogus training data set comprising 218,818 training samples,and the other,a variable star light curve data set with 421instances.These data sets will be used to train machine learning algorithms,which are planned for future integration into STRIP.
基金funded by Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Najran University for supporting the research project through the Nama’a program,with the project code NU/GP/MRC/13/771-4.
文摘Breast cancer remains one of the most pressing global health concerns,and early detection plays a crucial role in improving survival rates.Integrating digital mammography with computational techniques and advanced image processing has significantly enhanced the ability to identify abnormalities.However,existing methodologies face persistent challenges,including low image contrast,noise interference,and inaccuracies in segmenting regions of interest.To address these limitations,this study introduces a novel computational framework for analyzing mammographic images,evaluated using the Mammographic Image Analysis Society(MIAS)dataset comprising 322 samples.The proposed methodology follows a structured three-stage approach.Initially,mammographic scans are classified using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System(BI-RADS),ensuring systematic and standardized image analysis.Next,the pectoral muscle,which can interfere with accurate segmentation,is effectively removed to refine the region of interest(ROI).The final stage involves an advanced image pre-processing module utilizing Independent Component Analysis(ICA)to enhance contrast,suppress noise,and improve image clarity.Following these enhancements,a robust segmentation technique is employed to delineated abnormal regions.Experimental results validate the efficiency of the proposed framework,demonstrating a significant improvement in the Effective Measure of Enhancement(EME)and a 3 dB increase in Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio(PSNR),indicating superior image quality.The model also achieves an accuracy of approximately 97%,surpassing contemporary techniques evaluated on the MIAS dataset.Furthermore,its ability to process mammograms across all BI-RADS categories highlights its adaptability and reliability for clinical applications.This study presents an advanced and dependable computational framework for mammographic image analysis,effectively addressing critical challenges in noise reduction,contrast enhancement,and segmentation precision.The proposed approach lays the groundwork for seamless integration into computer-aided diagnostic(CAD)systems,with the potential to significantly enhance early breast cancer detection and contribute to improved patient outcomes.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation(No.42261134535)the National Key Research and Development Program(No.2023YFE0125000)+2 种基金the Frontiers Science Center for Deep-time Digital Earth(No.2652023001)the 111 Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology(No.BP0719021)supported by the department of Geology,University of Vienna(No.FA536901)。
文摘Backscatter electron analysis from scanning electron microscopes(BSE-SEM)produces high-resolution image data of both rock samples and thin-sections,showing detailed structural and geochemical(mineralogical)information.This allows an in-depth exploration of the rock microstructures and the coupled chemical characteristics in the BSE-SEM image to be made using image processing techniques.Although image processing is a powerful tool for revealing the more subtle data“hidden”in a picture,it is not a commonly employed method in geoscientific microstructural analysis.Here,we briefly introduce the general principles of image processing,and further discuss its application in studying rock microstructures using BSE-SEM image data.
基金supported by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education,Scientific Research,and Innovationthe Moroccan Digital Development Agency(DDA)+2 种基金the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research of Morocco(CNRST)through the Al-Khawarizmi projectthe MANAGEM groupMASCIR supporting this project.
文摘Rockfalls are among the frequent hazards in underground mines worldwide,requiring effective methods for detecting unstable rock blocks to ensure miners’and equipment’s safety.This study proposes a novel approach for identifying potential rockfall zones using infrared thermal imaging and image segmentation techniques.Infrared images of rock blocks were captured at the Draa Sfar deep underground mine in Morocco using the FLUKE TI401 PRO thermal camera.Two segmentation methods were applied to locate the potential unstable areas:the classical thresholding and the K-means clustering model.The results show that while thresholding allows a binary distinction between stable and unstable areas,K-means clustering is more accurate,especially when using multiple clusters to show different risk levels.The close match between the clustering masks of unstable blocks and their corresponding visible light images further validated this.The findings confirm that thermal image segmentation can serve as an alternative method for predicting rockfalls and monitoring geotechnical issues in underground mines.Underground operators worldwide can apply this approach to monitor rock mass stability.However,further research is recommended to enhance these results,particularly through deep learning-based segmentation and object detection models.
文摘Fluorescent probes have revolutionized optical imaging and biosensing by enabling real-time visualization, quantification, and tracking of biological processes at molecular and cellular levels. These probes, ranging from organic dyes to genetically encoded proteins and nanomaterials, provide unparalleled specificity, sensitivity, and multiplexing capabilities. However, challenges such as brightness, photobleaching, biocompatibility, and emission range continue to drive innovation in probe design and application. This special issue, comprising four review papers and seven original research studies, highlights cutting-edge advancements in fluorescent probe technologies and their transformative roles in super-resolution imaging, in vivo diagnostics, and cancer therapeutics.
文摘Radio interferometric imaging samples visibility data in the spatial frequency domain and then reconstructs the image.Because of the limited number of antennas,the sampling is usually sparse and noisy.Compressed sensingbased on convex optimization is an effective reconstruction method for sparse sampling conditions.The hyperparameter for the l_(1)regularization term is an important parameter that directly affects the quality of the reconstructed image.If its value is too high,the image structure will be missed.If its value is too low,the image will have a low signal-to-noise ratio.The selection of hyperparameters under different levels of image noise is studied in this paper,and solar radio images are used as examples to analyze the optimization results of compressed sensing algorithms under different noise conditions.The simulation results show that when the salt-and-pepper noise density is between 10%and 30%,the compressed sensing algorithm obtains good reconstruction results.Moreover,the optimal hyperparameter value has a linear relationship with the noise density,and the mean squared error of regression is approximately 8.10×10^(-8).
文摘In recent years, the widespread adoption of parallel computing, especially in multi-core processors and high-performance computing environments, ushered in a new era of efficiency and speed. This trend was particularly noteworthy in the field of image processing, which witnessed significant advancements. This parallel computing project explored the field of parallel image processing, with a focus on the grayscale conversion of colorful images. Our approach involved integrating OpenMP into our framework for parallelization to execute a critical image processing task: grayscale conversion. By using OpenMP, we strategically enhanced the overall performance of the conversion process by distributing the workload across multiple threads. The primary objectives of our project revolved around optimizing computation time and improving overall efficiency, particularly in the task of grayscale conversion of colorful images. Utilizing OpenMP for concurrent processing across multiple cores significantly reduced execution times through the effective distribution of tasks among these cores. The speedup values for various image sizes highlighted the efficacy of parallel processing, especially for large images. However, a detailed examination revealed a potential decline in parallelization efficiency with an increasing number of cores. This underscored the importance of a carefully optimized parallelization strategy, considering factors like load balancing and minimizing communication overhead. Despite challenges, the overall scalability and efficiency achieved with parallel image processing underscored OpenMP’s effectiveness in accelerating image manipulation tasks.
基金Scientific Research Deanship has funded this project at the University of Ha’il–Saudi Arabia Ha’il–Saudi Arabia through project number RG-21104.
文摘In today’s world,image processing techniques play a crucial role in the prognosis and diagnosis of various diseases due to the development of several precise and accurate methods for medical images.Automated analysis of medical images is essential for doctors,as manual investigation often leads to inter-observer variability.This research aims to enhance healthcare by enabling the early detection of diabetic retinopathy through an efficient image processing framework.The proposed hybridized method combines Modified Inertia Weight Particle Swarm Optimization(MIWPSO)and Fuzzy C-Means clustering(FCM)algorithms.Traditional FCM does not incorporate spatial neighborhood features,making it highly sensitive to noise,which significantly affects segmentation output.Our method incorporates a modified FCM that includes spatial functions in the fuzzy membership matrix to eliminate noise.The results demonstrate that the proposed FCM-MIWPSO method achieves highly precise and accurate medical image segmentation.Furthermore,segmented images are classified as benign or malignant using the Decision Tree-Based Temporal Association Rule(DT-TAR)Algorithm.Comparative analysis with existing state-of-the-art models indicates that the proposed FCM-MIWPSO segmentation technique achieves a remarkable accuracy of 98.42%on the dataset,highlighting its significant impact on improving diagnostic capabilities in medical imaging.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC,Nos.12373086 and 12303082)CAS“Light of West China”Program+2 种基金Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program in Yunnan ProvinceNational Key R&D Program of ChinaGravitational Wave Detection Project No.2022YFC2203800。
文摘Attitude is one of the crucial parameters for space objects and plays a vital role in collision prediction and debris removal.Analyzing light curves to determine attitude is the most commonly used method.In photometric observations,outliers may exist in the obtained light curves due to various reasons.Therefore,preprocessing is required to remove these outliers to obtain high quality light curves.Through statistical analysis,the reasons leading to outliers can be categorized into two main types:first,the brightness of the object significantly increases due to the passage of a star nearby,referred to as“stellar contamination,”and second,the brightness markedly decreases due to cloudy cover,referred to as“cloudy contamination.”The traditional approach of manually inspecting images for contamination is time-consuming and labor-intensive.However,we propose the utilization of machine learning methods as a substitute.Convolutional Neural Networks and SVMs are employed to identify cases of stellar contamination and cloudy contamination,achieving F1 scores of 1.00 and 0.98 on a test set,respectively.We also explore other machine learning methods such as ResNet-18 and Light Gradient Boosting Machine,then conduct comparative analyses of the results.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(10972015,11172015)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(8162008).
文摘The mechanical properties and failure mechanism of lightweight aggregate concrete(LWAC)is a hot topic in the engineering field,and the relationship between its microstructure and macroscopic mechanical properties is also a frontier research topic in the academic field.In this study,the image processing technology is used to establish a micro-structure model of lightweight aggregate concrete.Through the information extraction and processing of the section image of actual light aggregate concrete specimens,the mesostructural model of light aggregate concrete with real aggregate characteristics is established.The numerical simulation of uniaxial tensile test,uniaxial compression test and three-point bending test of lightweight aggregate concrete are carried out using a new finite element method-the base force element method respectively.Firstly,the image processing technology is used to produce beam specimens,uniaxial compression specimens and uniaxial tensile specimens of light aggregate concrete,which can better simulate the aggregate shape and random distribution of real light aggregate concrete.Secondly,the three-point bending test is numerically simulated.Thirdly,the uniaxial compression specimen generated by image processing technology is numerically simulated.Fourth,the uniaxial tensile specimen generated by image processing technology is numerically simulated.The mechanical behavior and damage mode of the specimen during loading were analyzed.The results of numerical simulation are compared and analyzed with those of relevant experiments.The feasibility and correctness of the micromodel established in this study for analyzing the micromechanics of lightweight aggregate concrete materials are verified.Image processing technology has a broad application prospect in the field of concrete mesoscopic damage analysis.
文摘Angle detection is a crucial aspect of industrial automation,ensuring precise alignment and orientation ofcomponents in manufacturing processes.Despite the widespread application of computer vision in industrialsettings,angle detection remains an underexplored domain,with limited integration into production lines.Thispaper addresses the need for automated angle detection in industrial environments by presenting a methodologythat eliminates training time and higher computation cost on Graphics Processing Unit(GPU)from machinelearning in computer vision(e.g.,Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN)).Our approach leverages advanced imageprocessing techniques and a strategic combination of algorithms,including contour selection,circle regression,polar warp transformation,and outlier detection,to provide an adaptive solution for angle detection.By configuringthe algorithm with a diverse dataset and evaluating its performance across various objects,we demonstrate itsefficacy in achieving reliable results,with an average error of only 0.5 degrees.Notably,this error margin is 3.274times lower than the acceptable threshold.Our study highlights the importance of accurate angle detection inindustrial settings and showcases the reliability of our algorithm in accurately determining angles,thus contributingto improved manufacturing processes.
