Optimizing Filter Size in Convolutional Neural Networks for Facial Action Unit Recognition

Recognizing facial action units (AUs) during spontaneous facial displays is a challenging problem. Most recently, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown promise for facial AU recognition, where predefined and fixed convolution filter sizes are employed. In order to achieve the best performance, the optimal filter size is often empirically found by conducting extensive experimental validation. Such a training process suffers from expensive training cost, especially as the network becomes deeper. This paper proposes a novel Optimized Filter Size CNN (OFS-CNN), where the filter sizes and weights of all convolutional layers are learned simultaneously from the training data along with learning convolution filters. Specifically, the filter size is defined as a continuous variable, which is optimized by minimizing the training loss. Experimental results on two AU-coded spontaneous databases have shown that the proposed OFS-CNN is capable of estimating optimal filter size for varying image resolution and outperforms traditional CNNs with the best filter size obtained by exhaustive search. The OFS-CNN also beats the CNN using multiple filter sizes and more importantly, is much more efficient during testing with the proposed forward-backward propagation algorithm

Bridge Designing Based on the New Combined Stretch-Shear Deformation Formula

This paper discovered a phenomenon in which the mass point in unit cell cannot keep balance in current elastic theory. Under different stress states, the absolute values of all equilibrium stress on the mass point are greater than the absolute values of principal stress. Thus, based on new concept of point stress balance, this paper introduces the new formula of stretch-shear combined deformation. The new formula explains the issue that, in the state of stretch-shear, constructions destroy more easily than in the state of compress-shear. Besides, based on new concepts of point stress balance, this paper also establishes a new theory of strength that is much more accurate than the third and fourth strength theory, validated in the Damage Mechanics National Key Laboratory of Tsinghua University. Comparisons of experiment data show the errors calculated from the new theory are only 1%, while errors based on the third and fourth strength theory are 14.2% and 18.2%. Therefore, the author suggests using the new stretch-shear formula to solve problems in bridge engineering in the future

An experimental and numerical study on structural dynamic stress of a landing gear

This paper concerns the main landing gear of certain light aircraft, and the dynamic stress on the main landing gear during the landing process is analyzed. A complete dynamic drop test is developed for the landing gear of light aircraft on the main landing gear, and the changes of dynamic strain exerted on the strut in the process of drop are measured. Simultaneously, the simulation software LMS Virtual.Lab Motion is used to build the rigid-flexible coupling dynamic model and simulate the process of drop and the results of the dynamic stress is obtained by means of computer simulation. Afterwards, the results of the dynamic stress between simulation and test are contrasted, and the sources of data error are analyzed. To sum up, the study shows that the dynamic stress in the flexible part of landing gear possesses a high accuracy through combining the analysis results of simulation and test, which meets the safety design criteria of the landing gear. Moreover, the method used to build the rigid-flexible coupling model is an available and reliable way for the simulation of drop test, which can provide a deep basis for future research

Enhanced excitability of small dorsal root ganglion neurons in rats with bone cancer pain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary and metastatic cancers that affect bone are frequently associated with severe and intractable pain. The mechanisms underlying the development of bone cancer pain are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether enhanced excitability of primary sensory neurons contributed to peripheral sensitization and tumor-induced hyperalgesia during cancer condition. In this study, using techniques of whole-cell patch-clamp recording associated with immunofluorescent staining, single-cell reverse-transcriptase PCR and behavioral test, we investigated whether the intrinsic membrane properties and the excitability of small-sized dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons altered in a rat model of bone cancer pain, and whether suppression of DRG neurons activity inhibited the bone cancer-induced pain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our present study showed that implantation of MRMT-1 tumor cells into the tibial canal in rats produced significant mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in the ipsilateral hind paw. Moreover, implantation of tumor cells provoked spontaneous discharges and tonic excitatory discharges evoked by a depolarizing current pulse in small-sized DRG neurons. In line with these findings, alterations in intrinsic membrane properties that reflect the enhanced neuronal excitability were observed in small DRG neurons in bone cancer rats, of which including: 1) depolarized resting membrane potential (RMP); 2) decreased input resistance (R_in); 3) a marked reduction in current threshold (CT) and voltage threshold (TP) of action potential (AP); 4) a dramatic decrease in amplitude, overshot, and duration of evoked action potentials as well as in amplitude and duration of afterhyperpolarization (AHP); and 5) a significant increase in the firing frequency of evoked action potentials. Here, the decreased AP threshold and increased firing frequency of evoked action potentials implicate the occurrence of hyperexcitability in small-sized DRG neurons in bone cancer rats. In addiotion, immunofluorescent staining and single-cell reverse-transcriptase PCR revealed that in isolated small DRG neurons, most neurons were IB4-positive, or expressed TRPV1 or CGRP, indicating that most recorded small DRG neurons were nociceptive neurons. Finally, using in vivo behavioral test, we found that blockade of DRG neurons activity by TTX inhibited the tumor-evoked mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in bone cancer rats, implicating that the enhanced excitability of primary sensory neurons underlied the development of bone cancer pain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our present results suggest that implantation of tumor cells into the tibial canal in rats induces an enhanced excitability of small-sized DRG neurons that is probably as results of alterations in intrinsic electrogenic properties of these neurons. Therefore, alterations in intrinsic membrane properties associated with the hyperexcitability of primary sensory neurons likely contribute to the peripheral sensitization and tumor-induced hyperalgesia under cancer condition.</p

A 1.0 μm Cylindrical Vector Beam Fiber Ring Laser Based on A Mode Selective Coupler

We propose and demonstrate a continuous-wave all-fiber ring laser generating cylindrical vector beams (CVBs) using a MSC as transverse mode converter and mode splitter. The MSC is fabricated by a novel method free of pre-tapering, achieving LP11 mode with a high purity of > 96% near the wavelength of 1064 nm. The CVB fiber laser operates at a center wavelength of 1053.9 nm, with a 3 dB linewidth of less than 0.04 nm and a signal-to-background ratio of > 60 dB. The laser slope efficiency is > 9%. The radially and azimuthally polarized beams can be switched by adjusting the polarization controllers in the fiber ring cavity, with a high mode purity measured to be > 96%

Plasma Clusterin and the CLU Gene rs11136000 Variant Are Associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Objective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is related to an elevated risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Plasma clusterin is reported associated with the early pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and longitudinal brain atrophy in subjects with MCI. The rs11136000 single nucleotide polymorphism within the clusterin (CLU) gene is also associated with the risk of AD. We aimed to investigate the associations among plasma clusterin, rs11136000 genotype and T2DM-associated MCI. Methods: A total of 231 T2DM patients, including 126 MCI and 105 cognitively healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Demographic parameters were collected and neuropsychological tests were conducted. Plasma clusterin and CLU rs11136000 genotype were examined.Results: Plasma clusterin was significantly higher in MCI patients than in control group (p=0.007). In subjects with MCI, plasma clusterin level was negatively correlated with Montreal cognitive assessment and auditory verbal learning test_delayed recall scores (p=0.027 and p=0.020, respectively). After adjustment for age, educational attainment, and gender, carriers of rs11136000 TT genotype demonstrated reduced risk for MCI compared with the CC genotype carriers (OR=0.158, χ2=4.113, p=0.043). Multivariable regression model showed that educational attainment, duration of diabetes, HDL-c, and plasma clusterin levels are associated with MCI in T2DM patients.Conclusions: Plasma clusterin was associated with MCI and may reflect a protective response in T2DM patients. TT genotype exhibited a reduced risk of MCI compared to CC genotype. Further investigations should be conducted to determine the role of clusterin in cognitive decline

Efficient quantum direct communication with authentication

Two protocols of quantum direct communication with authentication [Phys. Rev. A 73, 042305(2006)] were recently indicated to be insecure against the authenticator Trent's attacks [Phys. Rev. A 75, 026301(2007)]. We present two efficient protocols by using four Pauli operations, which are secure against inner Trent's attacks as well as outer Eve's attacks. Finally, we generalize them to multiparty quantum direction communication.Comment: 4 pages, 4 table

Operating Conditions of Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane for Phenol Extraction from Coal Gasification Wastewater

The extraction and recycling of phenol from high concentration coal gasification wastewater has been studied using polypropylene (PP) hollow fiber membrane and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane as liquid membrane support, the mixture of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and kerosene as liquid membrane phase, and sodium hydroxide as stripping agent in the process of extraction. The experiments investigated the effect of the operating conditions of the hollow fiber supported liquid membrane, such as aqueous phase temperature and the connection forms of membrane modules, on the extraction efficiency of phenol from high concentration coal gasification wastewater. The conclusions obtained from lab scale experiments provided guidance for scale-up experiments. So, in the scale-up experiments, three membrane modules connected in parallel, then three membrane modules connected in series were used to increase the treatment capacity and improve the treatment effect, under the operating conditions of wastewater temperature 20 ˚C, PH 7.5~8.1, flow rate 100 L/h and the concentration of stripping phase 0.1 mol/L, stripping phase flow rate 50 L/h, the extraction efficiency of the PP-TBP supported liquid membrane system was 87.02% and the phenol concentration of effluent was 218.14mg/L. And the phenol concentration of effluent met the requirements of further biodegradation treatment