Distributed Pruning Towards Tiny Neural Networks in Federated Learning

Neural network pruning is an essential technique for reducing the size and complexity of deep neural networks, enabling large-scale models on devices with limited resources. However, existing pruning approaches heavily rely on training data for guiding the pruning strategies, making them ineffective for federated learning over distributed and confidential datasets. Additionally, the memory- and computation-intensive pruning process becomes infeasible for recourse-constrained devices in federated learning. To address these challenges, we propose FedTiny, a distributed pruning framework for federated learning that generates specialized tiny models for memory- and computing-constrained devices. We introduce two key modules in FedTiny to adaptively search coarse- and finer-pruned specialized models to fit deployment scenarios with sparse and cheap local computation. First, an adaptive batch normalization selection module is designed to mitigate biases in pruning caused by the heterogeneity of local data. Second, a lightweight progressive pruning module aims to finer prune the models under strict memory and computational budgets, allowing the pruning policy for each layer to be gradually determined rather than evaluating the overall model structure. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of FedTiny, which outperforms state-of-the-art approaches, particularly when compressing deep models to extremely sparse tiny models. FedTiny achieves an accuracy improvement of 2.61% while significantly reducing the computational cost by 95.91% and the memory footprint by 94.01% compared to state-of-the-art methods.Comment: This paper has been accepted to ICDCS 202

Differences of serum glucose and lipid metabolism and immune parameters and blood metabolomics regarding the transition cows in the antepartum and postpartum period

This study aims to investigate differences in metabolism regarding the transition cows. Eight cows were selected for the test. Serum was collected on antepartum days 14th (ap14) and 7th (ap7) and postpartum days 1st (pp1), 7th (pp7), and 14th (pp14) to detect biochemical parameters. The experiment screened out differential metabolites in the antepartum (ap) and postpartum (pp) periods and combined with metabolic pathway analysis to study the relationship and role between metabolites and metabolic abnormalities. Results: (1) The glucose (Glu) levels in ap7 were significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.01). The insulin (Ins) levels of ap7 were significantly higher than pp7 (p = 0.028) and pp14 (p < 0.01), and pp1 was also significantly higher than pp14 (p = 0.016). The insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels of ap7 were significantly higher than ap14, pp7, and pp14 (p < 0.01). The cholestenone (CHO) levels of ap14 and pp14 were significantly higher than pp1 (p < 0.01). The CHO levels of pp14 were significantly higher than pp7 (p < 0.01). The high density lipoprotein cholesterol (DHDL) levels of pp1 were significantly lower than ap14 (p = 0.04), pp7 (p < 0.01), and pp14 (p < 0.01), and pp14 was also significantly higher than ap14 and ap7 (p < 0.01). (2) The interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels of ap7 were significantly higher than pp1 and pp7 (p < 0.01); the immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels of pp1 were significantly higher than ap7 and pp7 (p < 0.01); the interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels of pp7 were significantly higher than ap7 and pp1 (p < 0.01), the interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of ap7 and pp1 were significantly higher than pp7 (p < 0.01). (3) Metabolomics identified differential metabolites mainly involved in metabolic pathways, such as tryptophan metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, and lysine degradation. The main relevant metabolism was concentrated in lipid and lipid-like molecules, organic heterocyclic compounds, organic acids, and their derivatives. The results displayed the metabolic changes in the transition period, which laid a foundation for further exploring the mechanism of metabolic abnormalities in dairy cows in the transition period

Transcriptome profile of halofuginone resistant and sensitive strains of Eimeria tenella

The antiparasitic drug halofuginone is important for controlling apicomplexan parasites. However, the occurrence of halofuginone resistance is a major obstacle for it to the treatment of apicomplexan parasites. Current studies have identified the molecular marker and drug resistance mechanisms of halofuginone in Plasmodium falciparum. In this study, we tried to use transcriptomic data to explore resistance mechanisms of halofuginone in apicomplexan parasites of the genus Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae). After halofuginone treatment of E. tenella parasites, transcriptome analysis was performed using samples derived from both resistant and sensitive strains. In the sensitive group, DEGs associated with enzymes were significantly downregulated, whereas the DNA damaging process was upregulated after halofuginone treatment, revealing the mechanism of halofuginone-induced parasite death. In addition, 1,325 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected between halofuginone resistant and sensitive strains, and the DEGs related to translation were significantly downregulated after halofuginone induction. Overall, our results provide a gene expression profile for further studies on the mechanism of halofuginone resistance in E. tenella

Variation of Tensor Force due to Nuclear Medium Effect

The enhancement of $J^{\pi}(T)$=3$^{+}$(0) state with isospin $T=0$ excited by the tensor force in the free $^{6}$Li nucleus has been observed, for the first time, relative to a shrinkable excitation in the $^{6}$Li cluster component inside its host nucleus. Comparatively, the excitation of $J^{\pi}(T)$=0$^{+}$(1) state with isospin $T=1$ for these two $^{6}$Li formations take on an approximately equal excitation strength. The mechanism of such tensor force effect was proposed due to the intensive nuclear medium role on isospin $T$=0 state.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Aspect of Clusters Correlation at Light Nuclei Excited State

The correlation of $\alpha\alpha$ was probed via measuring the transverse momentum $p_{T}$ and width $\delta p_{T}$ of one $\alpha$, for the first time, which represents the spatial and dynamical essentialities of the initial coupling state in $^{8}$Be nucleus. The weighted interaction vertex of 3$\alpha$ reflected by the magnitudes of their relative momentums and relative emission angles proves the isosceles triangle configuration for 3$\alpha$ at the high excited energy analogous Hoyle states.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Multi-alpha Boson Gas state in Fusion Evaporation Reaction and Three-body Force

The experimental evidence for the $\alpha$ Boson gas state in the $^{11}$C+$^{12}$C$\rightarrow$$^{23}$Mg$^{\ast}$ fusion evaporation reaction is presented. By measuring the $\alpha$ emission spectrum with multiplicity 2 and 3, we provide insight into the existence of a three-body force among $\alpha$ particles. The observed spectrum exhibited distinct tails corresponding to $\alpha$ particles emitted in pairs and triplets consistent well with the model-calculations of AV18-UX and chiral effective field theory of NV2-3-la*, indicating the formation of $\alpha$ clusters with three-body force in the Boson gas state.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Complexing Absorption of NO by Cobalt(II)–Histidine

To develop an alternative to ferrous complexes, which easily lose nitric oxide (NO) binding ability as a result of oxidation by O₂ in the complexing absorption process, experiments about the NO absorption characteristics of cobalt complexes were performed. First, a screening experiment was conducted, and cobalt­(II)–histidine (CoHis) manifested to be the most potent absorbent to both NO and O₂ in neutral conditions among industrially available cobalt complexes. Then, the concentration of the cobalt nitrosyl complex, i.e., CoHis–NO, in the NO absorption liquid was measured by the NO transfer reaction with ferrous ethylenediaminetetraacetate [Fe­(II)­EDTA], thereby the standard curve for CoHis–NO quantification by spectrophotometry was plotted. At last, as implied by NO absorption experiments, the absorption of NO can be promoted by reducing the absorbent temperature, increasing the CoHis concentration, or increasing the absorbent pH appropriately. Furthermore, it was found that CoHis could not promote NO disproportionation

Can Tourism Development Help Improve Urban Liveability? An Examination of the Chinese Case

The emergence of “urban diseases” has aroused people’s widespread concern about urban liveability. Therefore, it is worth studying whether tourism, as a “smokeless industry” can improve it. In this article, the benchmark model, the spatial Durbin model (SDM), and the panel threshold model (PTM) are constructed to test the impact of tourism development on urban liveability based on the data from 284 prefecture-level and above cities in China for the period 2004–2019. The results show that tourism development can significantly contribute to the improvement of urban liveability. Meanwhile, the positive impact of tourism development on the liveability of neighboring cities through spatial spillover effects is still valid in eastern, central, and western China, but the effect is much larger in the eastern and central cities than in the western cities. Moreover, tourism development has positive nonlinear effects on urban liveability, and the marginal effects are clearly decreasing after crossing the first and second thresholds. Finally, specific recommendations are proposed for tourism development to improve urban liveability

Understanding the roles of copper dopant and oxygen vacancy in promoting nitrogen oxides removal over iron-based catalyst surface: A collaborative experimental and first-principles study

In this work, we proposed a novel strategy of copper (Cu) doping to enhance the nitrogen oxides (NOx) removal efficiency of iron (Fe)-based catalysts at low temperature through a simple citric acid mixing method, which is critical for its practical application. The doping of Cu significantly improves the deNO(x) performance of Fe-based catalysts below 200 degrees C, and the optimal catalyst is (Cu0.22Fe1.78)(1) O-delta(3), which deNO(x) efficiency can reach 100% at 160-240 degrees C. From the macro aspects, the main reasons for the excellent catalytic activity of the (Cu-0.22 Fe-1.78)(1) O-delta(3) catalyst are the large number of oxygen vacancies (O-vac), appropriate Fe3+ and Cu2+ contents, stronger surface acidity and redox ability. From the micro aspects, the O vac plays a key role in enhancing molecular adsorption, oxidation, and the deNO(x) reaction over the Fe-based catalyst surface, which promoting order is Cu-O-vac > O-vac > Cu. This work provides a new insight for the mechanism study of oxygen vacancy engineering and also accelerates the development of Cu-Fe bimetal composite catalysts at low temperature. (C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Transfer of Tactile Sensors Using Stiction Effect Temporary Handling

A novel method for transfer of tactile sensors using stiction effect temporary handling (SETH) is presented to simplify the microelectromechanical-system (MEMS)/CMOS integration process, improve the process reliability and electrical performance, and reduce material constriction. The structure of the tactile sensor and the reroute substrate were first manufactured separately. Following the release process, the stiction-contact structures, which are designed to protect the low-stress silicon nitride diaphragm of the tactile sensor and prevent the low-stress silicon nitride diaphragm from moving during the subsequent bonding process, are temporarily bonded to the substrate owing to the stiction effect. After the released tactile sensor is bonded to the reroute substrate by Au–Si eutectic flip-chip bonding, a pulling force perpendicular to the bonded die is applied to break away the temporary supported beam of the tactile sensor, and the tactile sensor is then successfully transferred to the reroute substrate. The size of the transferred tactile sensor is as small as 180 μm × 180 μm × 1.2 μm, and the force area of the tactile sensor is only 120 μm × 120 μm × 1.2 μm. The maximum misalignment of the flip-chip bonding process is approximately 1.5 μm. The tactile sensors are tested from 0 to 17.1 kPa when the power supply is 5 V, resulting in a sensitivity of 0.22 mV/V/kPa, 0.26 mV/V/kPa, 0.27 mV/V/kPa and 0.27 mV/V/kPa, separately. The stress caused by the Au–Si eutectic flip-chip bonding ranges from −5.83 to +5.54 kPa. The temporary bonding strength caused by stiction is calculated to be larger than 7.06 kPa and less than 22.31 kPa. The shear strength of the bonded test structure is approximately 30.74 MPa and the yield of the transferred tactile sensors is as high as 90%