Deep neural network for traffic sign recognition systems: An analysis of spatial transformers and stochastic optimisation methods

This paper presents a Deep Learning approach for traffic sign recognition systems. Several classification experiments are conducted over publicly available traffic sign datasets from Germany and Belgium using a Deep Neural Network which comprises Convolutional layers and Spatial Transformer Networks. Such trials are built to measure the impact of diverse factors with the end goal of designing a Convolutional Neural Network that can improve the state-of-the-art of traffic sign classification task. First, different adaptive and non-adaptive stochastic gradient descent optimisation algorithms such as SGD, SGD-Nesterov, RMSprop and Adam are evaluated. Subsequently, multiple combinations of Spatial Transformer Networks placed at distinct positions within the main neural network are analysed. The recognition rate of the proposed Convolutional Neural Network reports an accuracy of 99.71% in the German Traffic Sign Recognition Benchmark, outperforming previous state-of-the-art methods and also being more efficient in terms of memory requirements.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2017-82113-C2-1-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46801-C4-1-

Automation and evaluation of mutation testing for the new C++ standards

Mutation testing is becoming increasingly widely used to evaluate the quality of test suites, especially to test programs coded in widely used programming languages in the industry. Mutation tools have arisen to automate the technique in different languages, including C++. With the increasing use of this technique, new mutation operators modeling possible faults often emerge to improve its abilities and adapt the tools to new advanced features. In this work, mutation operators for the new C++ standards, defined in previous work, are implemented and applied to generate and execute mutants in real programs. With this study, the MuCPP mutation tool is updated with the inclusion of these new operators. In addition, the improvements suggested in the definition of those operators can be finally tested, and conclusions about their utility in practice can be drawn. The implemented operators are checked on a set of four C++ programs that use these advanced features. The results show significant differences with the previous manual analysis: the number of invalid mutants was reduced by 64%, and we found fewer alive mutants (88%) and an increase in dead mutants (31%). In summary, both the number of mutants incorrectly classified in the previous manual analysis and the number of mutants generated (particularly equivalent mutants) have been reduced

3‐(Pyridin‐2‐yl)imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine (Pyridylindolizine) as Ligand in Complexes of Transition and Main‐Group Metals

Producción CientíficaThe coordination of the easily prepared 3‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine (pyridylindolizine, Py‐indz) ligand to several metal moieties was studied, and its electronic properties, similar to those of the classical ligands 2,2′‐bipyridine (bipy) and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen), are reported. The new complexes were prepared and fully characterized by X‐ray crystallography and other typical spectroscopic methods if possible. Paramagnetic complexes [Ni(S2X)2(Py‐indz)] X = P(OEt)2 (1), COEt (2); [Ni(acac)2(Py‐indz)] (3, acac = acetylacetonate); [Ni(Py‐indz)3](PF6)2 (4); [Mn2Cl4(Py‐indz)2] (6); and [MnCl2(Py‐indz)2] (7) have the magnetic moment expected for a metallic cation with two or five unpaired electrons. Diamagnetic complexes show NMR spectra with similar patterns with small differences depending on the complex. [M{S2P(OEt)2}2 (Py‐indz)] M = Zn (8), Cd (9) have pentacoordinate and hexacoordinate structures, respectively. Octahedral tin complexes [SnL4(Py‐indz)] L4 = I4 (10), Cl3Ph (11), and Cl2nBu2 (12) have different behaviors in solution; whereas complex 10 is practically insoluble, complex 11 displays the expected pattern in its NMR spectrum, and complex 12 shows dynamic behavior. The Py‐indz ligand is also able to stabilize copper(I) and forms [Cu(PPh3)2(Py‐indz)]BF4 (13). The synthesis of the carbonyl complexes [MBr(CO)3(Py‐indz)] M = Mn (14), Re (15) and [Mo(CO)4(Py‐indz)] (16) was followed by IR spectroscopy in solution. [RuCl·p‐cym(Py‐indz)]PF6 (17, p‐cym = p‐cymene) has the familiar half‐sandwich “three‐legged piano‐stool” geometry.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project CTQ2013- 41067-P

Modelling regional housing prices in Spain

We estimate the long-run relationship between real housing prices of new dwellings and their fundamentals in a panel of the 50 Spanish provinces between 1985 and 2018. We fi nd acointegrating relationship between real house prices and per capita real income, unemployment rate and demographic density. According to our estimates, house prices were above their long-run equilibrium values in most provinces in 2007, during the peak of the previous boom, but there was substantial heterogeneity in the size of this gap. At the end of 2018 house prices were slightly below their estimated long-run equilibrium values in most provinces, but a few of them exhibited moderate positive deviations from those levels. Our results highlight the importance of modelling house prices at the regional level, as aggregate results may hide important heterogeneous developments.En el presente trabajo estimamos la relación a largo plazo entre los precios de la vivienda nueva reales y sus fundamentales en un panel de 50 provincias españolas entre 1985 y 2018. Encontramos una relación de cointegración entre los precios de vivienda reales y la renta real per cápita, la tasa de paro y la densidad demográfi ca. De acuerdo con nuestras estimaciones, los precios de la vivienda estaban por encima de sus valores de equilibrio a largo plazo en la mayoría de las provincias en 2007, en el punto máximo de la anterior expansión, pero había una elevada heterogeneidad en la magnitud de estas diferencias. A fi nales de 2018, los precios de la vivienda estaban ligeramente por debajo de su nivel de equilibrio estimado de largo plazo en la mayoría de las provincias, mientras que en otras el valor de estos activos inmobiliarios superaba, aunque muy moderadamente, dicho nivel de largo plazo. Nuestros resultados muestran la importancia de modelizar los precios de la vivienda a escala regional, puesto que los resultados agregados pueden encubrir importantes evoluciones heterogéneas

Compressed k2-Triples for Full-In-Memory RDF Engines

Current "data deluge" has flooded the Web of Data with very large RDF datasets. They are hosted and queried through SPARQL endpoints which act as nodes of a semantic net built on the principles of the Linked Data project. Although this is a realistic philosophy for global data publishing, its query performance is diminished when the RDF engines (behind the endpoints) manage these huge datasets. Their indexes cannot be fully loaded in main memory, hence these systems need to perform slow disk accesses to solve SPARQL queries. This paper addresses this problem by a compact indexed RDF structure (called k2-triples) applying compact k2-tree structures to the well-known vertical-partitioning technique. It obtains an ultra-compressed representation of large RDF graphs and allows SPARQL queries to be full-in-memory performed without decompression. We show that k2-triples clearly outperforms state-of-the-art compressibility and traditional vertical-partitioning query resolution, remaining very competitive with multi-index solutions.Comment: In Proc. of AMCIS'201

Proyecto SIGECAH: diseño de un algoritmo de reconstrucción cartográfica asociado al Catastro de Ensenada

En esta comunicación presentamos el primer prototipo de un módulo de simulación de escenarios cartográficos, concretamente desarrollaremos la estructura del motor basado en Autómatas Celulares. Tal y como se avanzó en comunicaciones anteriores, este módulo se encuentra integrado dentro de SIGECAH (Sistema de Gestión de Catastros Históricos), proyecto que tiene como objetivo el estudio y análisis de fuentes geohistóricas, y de manera más concreta, buscar y abrir nuevas vías de investigación que permitan avanzar en su estudio y en el manejo de la información en ellas contenida. En el desarrollo del prototipo se han integrado distintos métodos, tales como modelos probabilísticos y la evaluación multicriterio (sistemas de información geográfica). Debido a la complejidad del tema, y para facilitar la comprensión al lector mostraremos aquí el marco metodológico y la estructura del prototipo de un autómata celular, dejando para posteriores trabajos el desarrollo de aspectos más concretos.Este trabajo se realiza en el marco de los proyectos de investigación CEMU 2013, financiado por la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid y CSO2011-29027-C02-02/GEOG, financiado por la Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, dirigidos por los profesores Manuel Rivero y Concepción Camarero respectivamente

Prevalencia de la infección tuberculosa y por el VIH en los usuarios de un programa de reducción de riesgos para usuarios de drogas por vía parenteral (UDVP)

FUNDAMENTO: Determinar la prevalencia de la infección tuberculosa y por el VIH, así como los factores asociados, en la población de usuarios del programa de reducción de riesgos de la ciudad de Lleida. MÉTODOS: La muestra la formaron los nuevos usuarios del programa en el período abril-junio de 1996, entre los los cuales se realizó un cuestionario para la recogida de datos de las variables: edad, sexo, resultado de la prueba de la tuberculina, vacunación BCG, conocimiento de la serología frente al VIH, ingreso en prisión y años de consumo de heroína. Se calculó la prevalencia de la infección tuberculosa y por el VIH, con el intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95%. La asociación de ambas variables con el resto de variables del estudio se determinó mediante la odds ratio (OR) y su IC del 95% . RESULTADOS: Acudieron 150 pacientes diferentes, de los cuales 45 eran nuevos usuarios. De ellos, el 80,0% eran varones, con una edad media de 31,1 años. La prevalencia de la coinfección fue del 8,9% (IC 95% 2,8-22,1). La prevalencia de la infección tuberculosa fue de 27,3% (IC 95% 12,4-43,0), siendo superior en los que tenían antecedentes de ingreso en prisión (OR=3,4; IC 95% 0,5-27,4). La prevalencia de la infección por el VIH fue del 36,1% (IC 95% 21,3-53,8), siendo superior en los que tenían una antigüedad, en el consumo de heroína, superior a los 11 años ( OR = 7,3; IC 95% 1,0-65,9). CONCLUSIONES: El antecedente de ingreso en prisión es el principal factor de riesgo de la infección tuberculosa. Los años de consumo se asocian con la infección por el VIH, especialmente a partir de los 11 años. Los programas de reducción de riesgos de nuestro país deberían realizar actividades de control de la infección tuberculosa y por VIH.Background: To determine the prevalence of tuberculosis and HIV infection in addition to the related factors among a population of participants in the risk control program in the town of Lleida. Methods: The sample was comprised of the newly-enrolled participants in the program in April-June 1996, among whom a questionnaire was handed out for collecting the data conceming the variables involved: age, gender, results of the tuberculin test, BCG vaccination, knowledge of the serology regarding HIV, former imprisonment and number of years having used heroin. The prevalence of the tuberculosis and HIV infection was calculated to a 95% confídence interval (CI). The relating of these two variables to al1 other vanables in the study was determined by means of the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% CI. Results: One hundred and fifty (150) patients uere seen, 45 of whom were newly enrolled participants. Eighty percent (80%) were males, averaging 3 1.1 years of age. The prevalence of this dual infection was 8.9% (95% CI 2.8-22.1). The prevalence of the tuberculosis infection was 27.3% (95% CI 12.4-43.0), being higher among former prison inmates (OR=3.4; 95% CI 0.5-27.4). The prevalence of the HIV infec- tion was 36.1% (95% CI 2 1.3-53.8). being greater among those who had been usmg heroin for longer than Il years (OR = 7.3; 9506 CI 1.O-65.9). Conclusions: Former imprisonment is the main risk factor for tuberculosis infection. The number of years of heroin use are related to the HIV infection, especially when longer than ll years. The risk control programs in our country should cany out activities aimed at monitoring tuberculosis and HIV infection

Esterification of Free Fatty Acids with Glycerol within the Biodiesel Production Framework

Companies in the field of the collection and treatment of waste cooking oils (WCO) for subsequent biodiesel production usually have to cope with high acidity oils, which cannot be directly transformed into fatty acid methyl esters due to soap production. Since glycerine is the main byproduct of biodiesel production, these high acidity oils could be esterified with the glycerine surplus to transform the free fatty acids (FFA) into triglycerides before performing the transesterification. In this work, commercial glycerol was esterified with commercial fatty acids and commercial fatty acid/lampante olive oil mixtures over tin (II) chloride. In the first set of experiments, the esterification of linoleic acid with glycerol excess from 20 to 80% molar over the stoichiometric was performed. From 20% glycerol excess, there was no improvement in FFA reduction. Using 20% glycerol excess, the performance of a biochar obtained from heavy metal-contaminated plant roots was compared to that of SnCl2. Then, the effect of the initial FFA content was assessed using different oleic acid/lampante olive oil mixtures. The results illustrated that glycerolysis was impeded at initial FFA contents lower than 10%. Finally, the glycerolysis of a WCO with 9.94% FFA was assayed, without success