A Taxonomy of Deep Convolutional Neural Nets for Computer Vision

Traditional architectures for solving computer vision problems and the degree of success they enjoyed have been heavily reliant on hand-crafted features. However, of late, deep learning techniques have offered a compelling alternative -- that of automatically learning problem-specific features. With this new paradigm, every problem in computer vision is now being re-examined from a deep learning perspective. Therefore, it has become important to understand what kind of deep networks are suitable for a given problem. Although general surveys of this fast-moving paradigm (i.e. deep-networks) exist, a survey specific to computer vision is missing. We specifically consider one form of deep networks widely used in computer vision - convolutional neural networks (CNNs). We start with "AlexNet" as our base CNN and then examine the broad variations proposed over time to suit different applications. We hope that our recipe-style survey will serve as a guide, particularly for novice practitioners intending to use deep-learning techniques for computer vision.Comment: Published in Frontiers in Robotics and AI (http://goo.gl/6691Bm

On-line evolving fuzzy clustering

In this paper, a novel on-line evolving fuzzy clustering method that extends the evolving clustering method (ECM) of Kasabov and Song (2002) is presented, called EFCM. Since it is an on-line algorithm, the fuzzy membership matrix of the data is updated whenever the existing cluster expands, or a new cluster is formed. EFCM does not need the numbers of the clusters to be pre-defined. The algorithm is tested on several benchmark data sets, such as Iris, Wine, Glass, E-Coli, Yeast and Italian Olive oils. EFCM results in the least objective function value compared to the ECM and Fuzzy C-Means. It is significantly faster (by several orders of magnitude) than any of the off-line batch-mode clustering algorithms. A methodology is also proposed for using theXie-Beni cluster validity measure to optimize the number of clusters. © 2007 IEEE

Cervical Dystonia Mimics: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Background: Cervical dystonia is mostly idiopathic in nature. However, a small subset of cases are mimics, leading to diagnostic pitfalls. There is paucity of literature on pseudodystonias affecting the cervical region. Method: We performed a retrospective review of patients attending a movement disorders clinic over a period of 7 years (2012–2018). Among them, those who were considered to have mimics of cervical dystonia based upon clinical and supportive investigations were included. Results: Six out of 2,412 patients (0.24%) were diagnosed as cervical dystonia mimics and the causes included isolated neck extensor myopathy (2), craniovertebral junction anomalies (2), sternocleidomastoid fibrosis (1) and post traumatic sequelae (1). Among these patients, three patients had received various treatments for cervical dystonia, including botulinum toxin injections. Discussion: Mimics of isolated cervical dystonia are rare. A high degree of suspicion and proper diligent clinical assessment assists management and prognostication

Technology Assessment in Developing Countries:The Case of India-Examples of Governmental and Informal TA

This chapter provides an overview of the TA landscape in India, as an example of TA in a developing country. We first reflect on the role and relevance of TA for developing countries in general. Next, we focus on India, where most TA-like activities and practices are organized by and for governmental agencies. Five examples of formally institutionalized governmental TA-like activities are given: governmental TA-like capabilities for technological foresight in general, for agricultural, medical and pollution abatement technologies in particular, and finally the only government-organized participatory TA regarding the introduction of a genetically modified eggplant. In addition, three informal TA-like grassroots activities are described: the Silent Valley movement, the System of Rice Intensification, and the Community Seed Banks. We conclude by reflecting on the TA landscape in India and drawing some lessons for the role and conditions for TA in developing countries.</p

AUTOMATIC BINDING OF VIRTUAL INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS TO THE APPROPRIATE INTERFACE

Techniques are described herein for providing an innovative configuration model that requires a user to configure Virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) addresses in just one place, thus avoiding the possibilities of configuration error and also making the network infrastructure easy to deploy. For example, to configure four VIP addresses in a three-node cluster, state-of-the-art configuration models would require the user to touch/configure twelve values spanning across three appliances, which is cumbersome and error prone. By contrast, the configuration model described herein has just one touch point in the whole cluster

Power Quality Improvement Using Series Active Power Filter Based On Gravitational Search Algorithm

This paper proposes a heuristic control of the series active power filter for power quality enhancement. In this context, the series active filter is better utilized as a voltage source controller contrary to its conventional usage as variable impedance. The present-day utility system as a linear model is unsatisfactory and the steps are laid down to discuss utility system as a nonlinear model. This paper deals power quality disturbances like voltage sag/swell, voltage error and THD with robust heuristic algorithms like the gravitational search algorithms (GSA) and it is further compared with firefly (FF) algorithm. The harmonic reduction in the source current and mitigation of sags/swells in the load voltage is carried out with optimal tuning of the PI controller. The series active power filter as a harmonic suppressor with a specific reference controlled strategy is discussed in this paper. The synchronous reference frame (SRF) theory is used to generate the reference voltage signals required for compensation. The hysteresis band current controller (HBCC) is used to perform the switching operation of Voltage Source Inverter. Simulations are carried out in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment

Power Quality Improvement Based On PSO Algorithm Incorporating UPQC

The usage of the term power quality is increasing day by day with extensive usage of large capacity loads and nonlinear loads. The major power quality issues are voltage disturbances and current disturbances in the present-day power systems. Today, with the advent of power semiconductor devices these power quality issues are solved to a great extent. The unified power quality conditioner is one such power semiconductor device which utilizes active filtering methodology to deal with the concerned power quality issues. Here an attempt is made to control and generate the reference currents and voltages for a unified power quality conditioner with the optimal tuned synchronous reference frame theory. The particle swarm optimization is employed to evolve gains of the proportional-integral controller. The unified power quality conditioner is a combination of shunt and series voltage source converters. The hysteresis band current controller for series and the pulse width modulation current controller for the shunt active filter are used for generation of gating pulses required by the switches of the voltage source converters in the unified power quality conditioner. The performance evaluation of multi-objective convergence fitness function (dealing: the voltage sag, the source current variations, and the load voltage variations) with unified power quality conditioner based on particle swarm optimization algorithm is performed. The efficacy of the proposed work is validated by conducting simulations in MATLAB/SIMULINK software environment.

Benzyl Isothiocyanate Suppresses Pancreatic Tumor Angiogenesis and Invasion by Inhibiting HIF-α/VEGF/Rho-GTPases: Pivotal Role of STAT-3

Our previous studies have shown that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by inhibiting STAT-3; however, the exact mechanism of tumor growth suppression was not clear. Here we evaluated the effects and mechanism of BITC on pancreatic tumor angiogenesis. Our results reveal that BITC significantly inhibits neovasularization on rat aorta and Chicken-Chorioallantoic membrane. Furthermore, BITC blocks the migration and invasion of BxPC-3 and PanC-1 pancreatic cancer cells in a dose dependant manner. Moreover, secretion of VEGF and MMP-2 in normoxic and hypoxic BxPC-3 and PanC-1 cells was significantly suppressed by BITC. Both VEGF and MMP-2 play a critical role in angiogenesis and metastasis. Our results reveal that BITC significantly suppresses the phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 (Tyr-1175), and expression of HIF-α. Rho-GTPases, which are regulated by VEGF play a crucial role in pancreatic cancer progression. BITC treatment reduced the expression of RhoC whereas up-regulated the expression of tumor suppressor RhoB. STAT-3 over-expression or IL-6 treatment significantly induced HIF-1α and VEGF expression; however, BITC substantially suppressed STAT-3 as well as STAT-3-induced HIF-1α and VEGF expression. Finally, in vivo tumor growth and matrigel-plug assay show reduced tumor growth and substantial reduction of hemoglobin content in the matrigel plugs and tumors of mice treated orally with 12 µmol BITC, indicating reduced tumor angiogenesis. Immunoblotting of BITC treated tumors show reduced expression of STAT-3 phosphorylation (Tyr-705), HIF-α, VEGFR-2, VEGF, MMP-2, CD31 and RhoC. Taken together, our results suggest that BITC suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis through STAT-3-dependant pathway