TFS-ViT: Token-Level Feature Stylization for Domain Generalization

Standard deep learning models such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) lack the ability of generalizing to domains which have not been seen during training. This problem is mainly due to the common but often wrong assumption of such models that the source and target data come from the same i.i.d. distribution. Recently, Vision Transformers (ViTs) have shown outstanding performance for a broad range of computer vision tasks. However, very few studies have investigated their ability to generalize to new domains. This paper presents a first Token-level Feature Stylization (TFS-ViT) approach for domain generalization, which improves the performance of ViTs to unseen data by synthesizing new domains. Our approach transforms token features by mixing the normalization statistics of images from different domains. We further improve this approach with a novel strategy for attention-aware stylization, which uses the attention maps of class (CLS) tokens to compute and mix normalization statistics of tokens corresponding to different image regions. The proposed method is flexible to the choice of backbone model and can be easily applied to any ViT-based architecture with a negligible increase in computational complexity. Comprehensive experiments show that our approach is able to achieve state-of-the-art performance on five challenging benchmarks for domain generalization, and demonstrate its ability to deal with different types of domain shifts. The implementation is available at: https://github.com/Mehrdad-Noori/TFS-ViT_Token-level_Feature_Stylization

A Systematic Design of a Compact Wideband Hybrid Directional Coupler Based on Printed RGW Technology

Printed ridge gap waveguide (PRGW) is considered among the state of art guiding technologies due to its low signal distortion and low loss at Millimeter Wave (mmWave) spectrum, which motivates the research community to use this guiding structure as a host technology for various passive microwave and mmWave components. One of the most important passive components used in antenna beam-switching networks is the quadrature hybrid directional coupler providing signal power division with 90° phase shift. A featured design of a broadband and compact PRGW hybrid coupler is propose in this paper. A novel design methodology, based on mode analysis, is introduced to design the objective coupler. The proposed design is suitable for mmWave applications with small electrical dimensions ( 1.2λo×1.2λo ), low loss, and wide bandwidth. The proposed hybrid coupler is fabricated on Roger/RT 6002 substrate material of thickness 0.762 mm. The measured results highlight that the coupler can provide a good return loss with a bandwidth of 26.5% at 30 GHz and isolation beyond 15 dB. The measured phase difference between the coupler output ports is equal 90∘± 5∘ through the interested operating bandwidth. A clear agreement between the simulated and the measured results over the assigned operating bandwidth has been illustrated

Fuzzy logic-based vehicle safety estimation using V2V communications and on-board embedded ROS-based architecture for safe traffic management system in hail city

Estimating the state of surrounding vehicles is crucial to either prevent or avoid collisions with other road users. However, due to insufficient historical data and the unpredictability of future driving tactics, estimating the safety status is a difficult undertaking. To address this problem, an intelligent and autonomous traffic management system based on V2V technology is proposed. The main contribution of this work is to design a new system that uses a real-time control system and a fuzzy logic algorithm to estimate safety. The robot operating system (ROS) is the foundation of the control architechture, which connects all the various system nodes and generates the decision in the form of a speech and graphical message. The safe path is determined by a safety evaluation system that combines sensor data with a fuzzy classifier. Moreover, the suitable information processed by each vehicle unit is shared in the group to avoid unexpected problems related to speed, sudden braking, unplanned deviation, street holes, road bumps, and any kind of street issues. The connection is provided through a network based on the ZigBee protocol. The results of vehicle tests show that the proposed method provides a more reliable estimate of safety as compared to other methods

Stakeholders’ Interaction in Water Management System: Insights from a MACTOR Analysis in the R’Dom Sub-basin, Morocco

This paper aims to examine the stakeholders' interaction in the water management system at the R'Dom Sub-basin (Morocco). For this purpose, The MACTOR participatory approach was implemented to involve all key water stakeholders and to analyze their interactions. The action system was characterized by the analysis of related water issues and relevant actors on the ground. Thus, ten actors and twelve objectives were identified and assessed in this study. The analysis of stakeholder role allowed to identify the typology of stakeholders according to their strategic objectives and to evaluate their power, influence and dependence, as well as their convergence in a global water cycle management. The results show a significant level of convergence among stakeholders, despite the existence of certain stakeholders who may be considered autonomous, given their low involvement in integrated water management. Furthermore, there was a limited involvement of stakeholders in certain strategic objectives such as capacity building, technical means, and awareness-raising actions. The paper shows the need to generate greater collaborative efforts among water stakeholders involved in the implementation of integrated water resources management in the R'Dom sub-basin.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mobile station movement direction prediction (MMDP) based handover scanning for mobile WiMAX system

Mobile WiMAX is a broadband technology that is capable of delivering triple play services (voice, data, and video). However, mobility in mobile WiMAX system is still an issue when the mobile station (MS) moves and its connection is handed over between base stations (BSs). In the handover process, scanning is one of the required phases to find the target BS. During the handover scanning process, the MS must synchronize with all the advertised neighbour BSs (nBSs) to select the best BS candidate for the incoming handover action. Without terminating the connection between the SBS and MS, the SBS will schedule the scanning intervals and sleep-intervals (also called interleaving interval) to MS for the handover scanning. However, during the scanning interval period, all the coming transmissions will be paused. Therefore, the redundant or unnecessary scanning of neighbouring BS cause delay and MAC overhead which may affect real-time applications. In this paper, the MS movement direction prediction (MMDP) based handover scanning scheme is introduced to overcome the mobile WiMAX handover scanning issue. It based on dividing the BS coverage area is into zones and sectors. According to the signal quality; there are three zones, no handover (No-HO), low handover (Low-HO) and high handover (High-HO) zones respectively and six sectors. In this scheme, only two BSs can become candidates; the two that the MS moves toward them will be chosen as the candidate for the handover scanning purpose. Hence, the handover scanning process repetition will be reduced with these two shortlisted BS candidates instead of scanning all nBSs. Thus, MMDP will reduce scanning delay and the number of exchange messages during the handover scanning comparing to the conventional scanning scheme. Although, the MMDP may need an extra computational time, the prediction and scanning process will be finished before the MS reach the High-HO zone, which mean the end-user’s running application will be affected. Simulation results show that the proposed MMDP scheme reduces the total handover scanning delay and scanning interval duration by 25 and 50 % respectively. Also, the size of scanning message is reduced, which leads to reduced signalling overhead

In Silico Profiling of Histone Deacetylase 8 Inhibitory Activity: A Computational Analysis of Novel Dipeptide-Based Compounds Cross-Linked with Hydroxamic Acid

This study involved the development of innovative compounds consisting of dipeptide cross-links combined with hydroxamic acid. Our objective was to assess their binding affinities with histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) by conducting a docking study, comparing the results with the reference ligand, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Docking scores were measured in terms of ΔG (Kcal/mol), and the recorded scores for compounds 2A-D were found to be higher than that of SAHA, with values of 87.36, 80.46, 79.42, and 74.14, respectively. Notably, compound 2A, a dipeptide consisting of L-tryptophyl-L-tyrosine linked to a hydroxamic acid moiety, exhibited the highest docking score of 87.36. This finding suggests that compound 2A may possess the most potent HDAC8 inhibitory activity among the other designed compounds. Furthermore, we utilized the SwissADME server to predict the physicochemical properties and additional ADME parameters for the designed compounds. The analysis revealed that all investigated compounds exhibited a high potential for passive oral absorption and demonstrated no penetration into the blood-brain barrier. Compound 2A, 2B, and 2D exhibited one Lipinski's rule violation each, whereas Compound 2C demonstrated no such violations in all parameters. Additionally, compounds 2A and 2C exhibited potential as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates. SAHA did not exhibit inhibition of any of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes used in this study, whereas compounds 2B, 2C and 2D displayed possible inhibitory activities. These compelling findings provide encouraging prospects for the future synthesis of the designed compounds and warrant further evaluation through in vitro and in vivo biological studies.

Temporal Dynamics and Impact of Climate Factors on the Incidence of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Central Tunisia

Old world cutaneous leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease occurring in rural areas of developing countries. The main reservoirs are the rodents Psammomys obesus and Meriones shawi. Zoonotic Leishmania transmission cycle is maintained in the burrows of rodents where the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi finds the ideal environment and source of blood meals. In the present study we showed seasonality of the incidence of disease during the same cycle with an inter-epidemic period ranging from 4 to 7 years. We evaluated the impact of climate variables (rainfall, humidity and temperature) on the incidence of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniais in central Tunisia. We confirmed that the risk of disease is mainly influenced by the humidity related to the months of July to September during the same season and mean rainfall lagged by 12 to 14 months

Fuzzy Logic Based Self-Adaptive Handover Algorithm for MobileWiMAX.

It is well known that WiMAX is a broadband technology that is capable of delivering triple play (voice, data, and video) services. However, mobility in WiMAX system is still a main issue when the mobile station (MS) moves across the base station (BS) coverage and be handed over between BSs. Among the challenging issues in mobile WiMAX handover are unnecessary handover, handover failure and handover delay, which may affect real-time applications. The conventional handover decision algorithm in mobile WiMAX is based on a single criterion, which usually uses the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) as an indicator, with the other fixed handover parameters such as handover threshold and handover margin. In this paper, a fuzzy logic based self-adaptive handover (FuzSAHO) algorithm is introduced. The proposed algorithm is derived from the self-adaptive handover parameters to overcome the mobile WiMAX ping-pong handover and handover delay issues. Hence, the proposed FuzSAHO is initiated to check whether a handover is necessary or not which depends on its fuzzy logic stage. The proposed FuzSAHO algorithm will first self-adapt the handover parameters based on a set of multiple criteria, which includes the RSSI and MS velocity. Then the handover decision will be executed according to the handover parameter values. Simulation results show that the proposed FuzSAHO algorithm reduces the number of ping-pong handover and its delay. When compared with RSSI based handover algorithm and mobility improved handover (MIHO) algorithm, respectively, FuzSAHO reduces the number of handovers by 12.5 and 7.5 %, respectively, when the MS velocity is <17 m/s. In term of handover delay, the proposed FuzSAHO algorithm shows an improvement of 27.8 and 8 % as compared to both conventional and MIHO algorithms, respectively. Thus, the proposed multi-criteria with fuzzy logic based self-adaptive handover algorithm called FuzSAHO, outperforms both conventional and MIHO handover algorithms