Contrastive Learning based Semantic Communication for Wireless Image Transmission

Recently, semantic communication has been widely applied in wireless image transmission systems as it can prioritize the preservation of meaningful semantic information in images over the accuracy of transmitted symbols, leading to improved communication efficiency. However, existing semantic communication approaches still face limitations in achieving considerable inference performance in downstream AI tasks like image recognition, or balancing the inference performance with the quality of the reconstructed image at the receiver. Therefore, this paper proposes a contrastive learning (CL)-based semantic communication approach to overcome these limitations. Specifically, we regard the image corruption during transmission as a form of data augmentation in CL and leverage CL to reduce the semantic distance between the original and the corrupted reconstruction while maintaining the semantic distance among irrelevant images for better discrimination in downstream tasks. Moreover, we design a two-stage training procedure and the corresponding loss functions for jointly optimizing the semantic encoder and decoder to achieve a good trade-off between the performance of image recognition in the downstream task and reconstructed quality. Simulations are finally conducted to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over the competitive approaches. In particular, the proposed method can achieve up to 56\% accuracy gain on the CIFAR10 dataset when the bandwidth compression ratio is 1/48

On Secrecy Performance of MISO SWIPT Systems With TAS and Imperfect CSI

In this paper, a multiple-input single-output (MISO) simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) system, including one base station (BS) equipped with multiple antennas, one desired single-antenna information receiver (IR), and N (N > 1) single-antenna energy-harvesting receivers (ERs) is considered. Assuming that the information signal to the desired IR may be eavesdropped by ERs if ERs are malicious, we investigate the secrecy performance of the target MISO SWIPT system when imperfect channel state information (CSI) is available and adopted for transmit antenna selection at the BS. Considering that each eavesdropping link experiences independent but not necessarily identically distributed Rayleigh fading, the closed-form expressions for the exact and the asymptotic secrecy outage probability, and the average secrecy capacity are derived and verified by simulations. Furthermore, the optimal power splitting factor is derived for each ER to realize the tradeoff between the energy harvesting and the information eavesdropping. Our results reveal the impact of the imperfect CSI on the secrecy performance of MISO SWIPT systems in the presence of multiple wiretap channels

Whole-exome sequencing identifies genes associated with Tourette’s disorder in multiplex families

Tourette’s Disorder (TD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) that affects about 0.7% of the population and is one of the most heritable NDDs. Nevertheless, because of its polygenic nature and genetic heterogeneity, the genetic etiology of TD is not well understood. In this study, we combined the segregation information in 13 TD multiplex families with high-throughput sequencing and genotyping to identify genes associated with TD. Using whole-exome sequencing and genotyping array data, we identified both small and large genetic variants within the individuals. We then combined multiple types of evidence to prioritize candidate genes for TD, including variant segregation pattern, variant function prediction, candidate gene expression, protein–protein interaction network, candidate genes from previous studies, etc. From the 13 families, 71 strong candidate genes were identified, including both known genes for NDDs and novel genes, such as HtrA Serine Peptidase 3 (HTRA3), Cadherin-Related Family Member 1 (CDHR1), and Zinc Finger DHHC-Type Palmitoyltransferase 17 (ZDHHC17). The candidate genes are enriched in several Gene Ontology categories, such as dynein complex and synaptic membrane. Candidate genes and pathways identified in this study provide biological insight into TD etiology and potential targets for future studies.This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH092293 to GAH and JAT) and by a grant from the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome (to GAH and JAT). This study was also supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (K08MH099424 to TVF) and the National Institute for Environmental Health Science (R01 ES021462 for YSK and BLL). PM has received grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI10/01674, PI13/01461), the Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía (CVI-02526, CTS-7685), the Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social de la Junta de Andalucía (PI-0741/2010, PI-0437-2012, PI-0471-2013), the Sociedad Andaluza de Neurología, the Fundación Alicia Koplowitz, the Fundación Mutua Madrileña, and the Jaques and Gloria Gossweiler Foundation. AM has received grants from the Fundacion Alicia Koplowitz and belongs to the research group of the Comissionat per Universitats i Recerca del Departmanent d’Innovacio (DIUE) 2009SGR1119. AM has received grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG: MU 1692/3-1, MU 1692/4-1, and FOR 2698). AJW received a Young Investigator Award from Tourette Association of America. IH declares that all research at Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health is made possible by the NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre

Household, community, sub-national and country-level predictors of primary cooking fuel switching in nine countries from the PURE study

Introduction. Switchingfrom polluting (e.g. wood, crop waste, coal)to clean (e.g. gas, electricity) cooking fuels can reduce household air pollution exposures and climate-forcing emissions.While studies have evaluated specific interventions and assessed fuel-switching in repeated cross-sectional surveys, the role of different multilevel factors in household fuel switching, outside of interventions and across diverse community settings, is not well understood. Methods.We examined longitudinal survey data from 24 172 households in 177 rural communities across nine countries within the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study.We assessed household-level primary cooking fuel switching during a median of 10 years offollow up (∼2005–2015).We used hierarchical logistic regression models to examine the relative importance of household, community, sub-national and national-level factors contributing to primary fuel switching. Results. One-half of study households(12 369)reported changing their primary cookingfuels between baseline andfollow up surveys. Of these, 61% (7582) switchedfrom polluting (wood, dung, agricultural waste, charcoal, coal, kerosene)to clean (gas, electricity)fuels, 26% (3109)switched between different polluting fuels, 10% (1164)switched from clean to polluting fuels and 3% (522)switched between different clean fuels

Adaptive Neural Network Finite-Time Control of Uncertain Fractional-Order Systems with Unknown Dead-Zone Fault via Command Filter

In this paper, the adaptive finite-time control problem for fractional-order systems with uncertainties and unknown dead-zone fault was studied by combining a fractional-order command filter, radial basis function neural network, and Nussbaum gain function technique. First, the fractional-order command filter-based backstepping control method is applied to avoid the computational complexity problem existing in the conventional recursive procedure, where the fractional-order command filter is introduced to obtain the filter signals and their fractional-order derivatives. Second, the radial basis function neural network is used to handle the uncertain nonlinear functions in the recursive design step. Third, the Nussbaum gain function technique is considered to handle the unknown control gain caused by the unknown dead-zone fault. Moreover, by introducing the compensating signal into the control law design, the virtual control law, adaptive laws, and the adaptive neural network finite-time control law are constructed to ensure that all signals associated with the closed-loop system are bounded in finite time and that the tracking error can converge to a small neighborhood of origin in finite time. Finally, the validity of the proposed control law is confirmed by providing simulation cases

Adaptive Dynamic Surface Control of Strict-Feedback Fractional-Order Nonlinear Systems with Input Quantization and External Disturbances

In this work, an adaptive dynamic surface control law for a type of strict-feedback fractional-order nonlinear system is proposed. The considered system contained input quantization and unknown external disturbances. The virtual control law is presented by utilizing a dynamic surface control approach at each step, where the nonlinear compensating term with the estimation of unknown bounded parameters is introduced to overcome the influence of unknown external disturbances and surface errors. Meanwhile, the adaptive laws of relevant parameters are also designed. In addition, an improved fractional-order nonlinear filter is developed to deal with the explosion of complexity raised by the recursive process. In the last step, an adaptive dynamic surface control law is proposed to ensure the convergence of tracking error, in which the Nussbaum gain function is applied to solve the problem of the unknown control gain generated by input quantization. Then, the fractional Lyapunov stability theory is applied to verify the stability of the proposed control law. Finally, simulation examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control law

Adaptive Fuzzy Command Filtered Finite-Time Tracking Control for Uncertain Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems with Unknown Input Saturation and Unknown Control Directions

This paper investigates the finite-time consensus tracking control problem of uncertain nonlinear multi-agent systems with unknown input saturation and unknown control directions. An adaptive fuzzy finite-time consensus control law is proposed by combining the fuzzy logic system, command filter, and finite-time control theory. Using the fuzzy logic systems, the uncertain nonlinear dynamics are approximated. Considering the command filter and backstepping control technique, the problem of the so-called “explosion of complexity” in the design of virtual control laws and adaptive updating laws is avoided. Meanwhile, the Nussbaum gain function method is applied to handle the unknown control directions and unknown input saturation problems. Based on the finite-time control theory and Lyapunov stability theory, it was found that all signals in the closed-loop system remained semi-global practical finite-time stable, and the tracking error could converge to a sufficiently small neighborhood of the origin in the finite time. In the end, simulation results were provided to verify the validity of the designed control law

Подход с использованием весовой функции для нейросетевого нелинейного анализа временных рядов спутникового дистанционного зондирования ливней

Лишэн Сюй, Джили Дин, Сяобо Дэн. Подход с использованием весовой функции для нейросетевого нелинейного анализа временных рядов спутникового дистанционного зондирования ливнейOne of frequently used neural networks, i.e., a radial-based function network (RBFN) with Gaussian activation functions is employed to study the nonlinear time series by carrying out the characterization experiments for a GMS- 5 satellite 11 µm IR observations of rainstorm process. The proposed methodology mainly uses RBFN to approximate the nonlinear time series signal first: then the characteristics of its weighting functions changed with time are analyzed. The difficulty due to the effects of high noise on the signal processing using neural networks is addressed. Thus, finally a more integrated method combining the neural network analysis with wavelet packet decomposition is introduced. The preliminary results show that the proposed approach for nonlinear time series analysis is efficient and promising

Adaptive Dynamic Surface Control of Strict-Feedback Fractional-Order Nonlinear Systems with Input Quantization and External Disturbances

In this work, an adaptive dynamic surface control law for a type of strict-feedback fractional-order nonlinear system is proposed. The considered system contained input quantization and unknown external disturbances. The virtual control law is presented by utilizing a dynamic surface control approach at each step, where the nonlinear compensating term with the estimation of unknown bounded parameters is introduced to overcome the influence of unknown external disturbances and surface errors. Meanwhile, the adaptive laws of relevant parameters are also designed. In addition, an improved fractional-order nonlinear filter is developed to deal with the explosion of complexity raised by the recursive process. In the last step, an adaptive dynamic surface control law is proposed to ensure the convergence of tracking error, in which the Nussbaum gain function is applied to solve the problem of the unknown control gain generated by input quantization. Then, the fractional Lyapunov stability theory is applied to verify the stability of the proposed control law. Finally, simulation examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control law