Compressed Video Action Recognition

Training robust deep video representations has proven to be much more challenging than learning deep image representations. This is in part due to the enormous size of raw video streams and the high temporal redundancy; the true and interesting signal is often drowned in too much irrelevant data. Motivated by that the superfluous information can be reduced by up to two orders of magnitude by video compression (using H.264, HEVC, etc.), we propose to train a deep network directly on the compressed video. This representation has a higher information density, and we found the training to be easier. In addition, the signals in a compressed video provide free, albeit noisy, motion information. We propose novel techniques to use them effectively. Our approach is about 4.6 times faster than Res3D and 2.7 times faster than ResNet-152. On the task of action recognition, our approach outperforms all the other methods on the UCF-101, HMDB-51, and Charades dataset.Comment: CVPR 2018 (Selected for spotlight presentation

International Business and the Migrant-Owned Enterprise

Peer reviewedPostprin

The Role of Emotions in Cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions : A Systematic Review of the Inter-disciplinary Literature and Future Research Agenda

open access via Elsevier agreementPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Frequency of Clinical Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Asthmatic Patients

Background: Gastroesophageal reflex is known as an acid reflex, is long term condition where stomach contents back into the oesophagus resulting in either symptoms or complications. GERD disease is caused by weakness or failure of the lower oesophageal sphincter. Symptoms include the acidic taste behind the mouth, heart burn, chest pain, difficult breathing and vomiting. Complication includes esophagitis, oesophageal strictures and barrettes oesophagus. Objective: The aim of this research was to introduce the symptoms of GERD disease in asthmatic patients and how these symptoms worsen the symptoms of asthma disease and what clinical pictures present with the asthmatic disease. Methodology: A designed performa was used to collect the data and after filling the performa, results were drawn and conclusion through the facts and the information given by patients. Results: In the present study among all 164 asthmatic patients, 70 (42.7%) patients showed dyspepsia, 58 (35.4%) were with chest burning, 23 (14%) were asking about chest pain, with acidic mouth taste were 39 (23.8%), 22 (13.4%) were feeling sore throat and 44 (26.8%) showed regurgitation reflex. Among these 164 patients 16 (9.8%) were smokers and 148 (90.2 %) were non-smokers. 47 (28.7%) were males and 117 (71.3%) were females. Conclusion: It is concluded that gastroesophageal reflux disease in asthmatic patients present symptoms of acidic mouth taste, chest burning, chest pain, dyspepsia, regurgitation reflex and sore throat

Estradiol Modulates Membrane-Linked ATPases, Antioxidant Enzymes, Membrane Fluidity, Lipid Peroxidation, and Lipofuscin in Aged Rat Liver

Free radical production and oxidative stress are known to increase in liver during aging, and may contribute to the oxidative damage. These changes increase during menopausal condition in females when the level of estradiol is decreased. The objective of this study was to observe the changes in activities of membrane linked ATPases (Na+K+ ATPase, Ca2+ ATPase), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase), lipid peroxidation levels, lipofuscin content and membrane fluidity occurring in livers of female rats of 3, 12 and 24 months age groups, and to see whether these changes are restored to 3 months control levels rats after exogenous administration of 17-β-estradiol (E2). The aged rats (12 and 24 months) were given subcutaneous injection of E2 (0.1 μg/g body weight) daily for one month. The results obtained in the present work revealed that normal aging was associated with significant decrease in the activities of membrane linked ATPases, antioxidant enzymes, membrane fluidity and an increase in lipid peroxidation and lipofuscin content in livers of aging female rats. The present study showed that E2 treatment reversed the changes to normal levels. E2 treatment may be beneficial in preventing some of the age related changes in the liver by increasing antioxidant defenses

Understanding formability and geometrical accuracy of SPIF process used as reshaping approach

Putting in place Circular Economy strategies is an urgent action to be undertaken. Manufacturing processes play a relevant role as efficient material reuse enabler. Scientists have to make an effort either to find new process or to rethink old process to reprocess End-of-life (EoL) components to recover both material and functions. In this paper, Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) process is used for reshaping sheet metal EoL components. Deep drawing process as well as uniaxial pre-straining (to imitate the End-of-Life component) followed by SPIF operations (to obtain the reshaped components) are set- up and implemented to form and reform aluminum sheet metal components. As the authors have already proved the technical feasibility of such an approach, the present paper aims at a better understanding of the formability and geometrical accuracy performance of SPIF process as used to reform components. Specifically, an experimental campaign varying kind and extent of restraining is developed and the formability and geometrical accuracy of the subsequent SIPF operations is analyzed. Results proves that SPIF process is a promising approach for reshaping purpose

Exactly solvable approximating models for Rabi Hamiltonian dynamics

The interaction between an atom and a one mode external driving field is an ubiquitous problem in many branches of physics and is often modeled using the Rabi Hamiltonian. In this paper we present a series of analytically solvable Hamiltonians that approximate the Rabi Hamiltonian and compare our results to the Jaynes-Cummings model which neglects the so-called counter-rotating term in the Rabi Hamiltonian. Through a unitary transformation that diagonlizes the Jaynes-Cummings model, we transform the counter-rotating term into separate terms representing several different physical processes. By keeping only certain terms, we can achieve an excellent approximation to the exact dynamics within specified parameter ranges

An energy efficiency analysis of single point incremental forming as an approach for sheet metal based component reuse

Producing materials causes about 25% of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Metals play a significant role, steel and aluminum account for 24% and 3% of worldwide material related emissions respectively. Fostering resources efficiency strategies in the field of sheet components could lead to a significant environmental impact reduction. Reshaping could be one of the most efficient strategy to foster material reuse and lower the environmental impact due to material production. Specifically, for aluminum recycling, the overall energy efficiency of conventional route is very low and, more importantly, permanent material losses occur during re-melting because of oxidation. The present paper aims at presenting the technical feasibility of Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF)-based reshaping approach. Change in shape of aluminum stamped part is obtained through SPIF process implementation. Preliminary energy savings quantification through life cycle energy and material flows modelling are provided, energy efficiency of conventional recycling approach and SPIF-based reshaping routes are analyzed and compared

Making connections: Social networks in international business

Insights from social network research have generated significant advancements in disciplines such as sociology, economics, and psychology. In comparison, the incorporation of social network ideas into international business (IB) research remains more limited. The purpose of this special issue is to foster further research on social networks in IB. In our introductory essay, we provide a brief overview of network research in the IB domain to give a sense of some of the major ongoing themes and to illustrate how the social network approach can provide fresh insights and add substantive value to the field. To emphasize the considerable potential of using social network theories and ideas to advance research and understanding in IB, we also indicate some future directions. We follow these with a summary of the five articles in the special issue

Prognostic indicators in patients with intracranial tuberculoma: a review of 102 cases

Objective: To see the characteristics, course and outcome of patients suffering from intracranial tuberculoma. Methods: Retrospective review of 102 patients diagnosed as intracranial tuberculoma at a tertiary care center over 10 years. Results: A total of 102 cases were seen with an age range of 1 to 75 years (mean, 30 years). Predisposing factors included Diabetes mellitus (8 patients) and pregnancy or puerperium (7 patients). Five pediatric patients had tuberculoma despite documented BCG vaccination. Fever (59%), headache (57%), meningeal irritation (36%) were the commonest presenting features; one-third of patients were drowsy or comatosed at presentation. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was performed in 63 patients, of whom 88% had elevated protein, 83% had low glucose, and 84% had pleocytosis (one-third with neutrophilia). Forty-nine (50%) patients had clinical or laboratory evidence of concomitant tuberculous meningitis, Chest radiographs showed active or old tuberculous infection (25%), with a miliary pattern in 20%. Two-thirds of subjects had multiple tuberculomas (mean, 4.5 lesions per patient) on contrast CT or MRI scan. Hydrocephalus was present in 37 (37%) patients of which 21 required shunt surgery. Thirty-nine patients had \u3e 9 months of follow up; 17 patients showed complete recovery, 20 patients had partial recovery, and 2 patients had no response. Coma at presentation and miliary pattern on chest X-ray were predictors of poor prognosis. Conclusion: The study demonstrate that fever, headache, signs of meningeal irritation and cranial nerve palsies are common presenting features. Complete recovery was seen in 40% patients. Coma and military TB are predictors of poor prognosis (JPMA 54:83;2004)