Efficient Inexact Proximal Gradient Algorithm for Nonconvex Problems

The proximal gradient algorithm has been popularly used for convex optimization. Recently, it has also been extended for nonconvex problems, and the current state-of-the-art is the nonmonotone accelerated proximal gradient algorithm. However, it typically requires two exact proximal steps in each iteration, and can be inefficient when the proximal step is expensive. In this paper, we propose an efficient proximal gradient algorithm that requires only one inexact (and thus less expensive) proximal step in each iteration. Convergence to a critical point %of the nonconvex problem is still guaranteed and has a $O(1/k)$ convergence rate, which is the best rate for nonconvex problems with first-order methods. Experiments on a number of problems demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has comparable performance as the state-of-the-art, but is much faster

LightESD: Fully-Automated and Lightweight Anomaly Detection Framework for Edge Computing

Anomaly Detection is Widely Used in a Broad Range of Domains from Cybersecurity to Manufacturing, Finance, and So On. Deep Learning based Anomaly Detection Has Recently Drawn Much Attention Because of its Superior Capability of Recognizing Complex Data Patterns and Identifying Outliers Accurately. However, Deep Learning Models Are Typically Iteratively Optimized in a Central Server with Input Data Gathered from Edge Devices, and Such Data Transfer between Edge Devices and the Central Server Impose Substantial overhead on the Network and Incur Additional Latency and Energy Consumption. to overcome This Problem, We Propose a Fully Automated, Lightweight, Statistical Learning based Anomaly Detection Framework Called LightESD. It is an On-Device Learning Method Without the Need for Data Transfer between Edge and Server and is Extremely Lightweight that Most Low-End Edge Devices Can Easily Afford with Negligible Delay, CPU/memory Utilization, and Power Consumption. Yet, It Achieves Highly Competitive Detection Accuracy. Another Salient Feature is that It Can Auto-Adapt to Probably Any Dataset Without Manually Setting or Configuring Model Parameters or Hyperparameters, which is a Drawback of Most Existing Methods. We Focus on Time Series Data Due to its Pervasiveness in Edge Applications Such as IoT. Our Evaluation Demonstrates that LightESD Outperforms Other SOTA Methods on Detection Accuracy, Efficiency, and Resource Consumption. Additionally, its Fully Automated Feature Gives It Another Competitive Advantage in Terms of Practical Usability and Generalizability

One dimensional chain of quantum molecule motors as a mathematical physics model for muscle fibre

A quantum chain model of many molecule motors is proposed as a mathematical physics theory on the microscopic modeling of classical force-velocity relation and tension transients of muscle fibre. We proposed quantum many-particle Hamiltonian to predict the force-velocity relation for the slow release of muscle fibre which has no empirical relation yet, it is much more complicate than hyperbolic relation. Using the same Hamiltonian, we predicted the mathematical force-velocity relation when the muscle is stimulated by alternative electric current. The discrepancy between input electric frequency and the muscle oscillation frequency has a physical understanding by Doppler effect in this quantum chain model. Further more, we apply quantum physics phenomena to explore the tension time course of cardiac muscle and insect flight muscle. Most of the experimental tension transients curves found their correspondence in the theoretical output of quantum two-level and three-level model. Mathematically modeling electric stimulus as photons exciting a quantum three-level particle reproduced most tension transient curves of water bug Lethocerus Maximus.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, Arguments are adde

Toxic thermoresistant metabolites of Fusarium oxysporum are capable of inducing histopathological alterations in Wistar rats

The genus Fusarium is known to produce mycotoxins that cause fusariosis in plants, animals and humans. Mycotoxins are among the virulence factors of this genus. Metabolic extracts of Fusarium oxysporum, isolated from a patient with onychomycosis and sterilized by filtration or autoclave, were inoculated intradermally into Wistar rats at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 µg/µL, and the effects on their tegument were observed at 24 and 72 hours. After histological procedures and staining by hematoxylineosin, the sections were studied for their inflammatory-reaction intensity and for evidence of injury and tissue distortion. Inflammatory reactions in the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue were observed at all concentrations of the inoculated extract tested. There was a significant influx of neutrophils, mastocytes and lymphocytes, as well as a large quantity of macrophages. Apoptotic bodies and hyperemic blood vessels were observed. This reaction was directly related to the extract concentration, and was most intense in animals that received the 1 mg/µL dose. The maximum peak was observed at 24 hours. The autoclaved metabolic extract produced the same effects as the untreated one, indicating the presence of heat-resistant metabolites. In conclusion, the metabolic extracts obtained from sterilized culture filtrates of F. oxysporum are capable of inducing an inflammatory response within 24 hours in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue of rats

Corynaebacterium Diphtheriae pada Penderita Penyakit Kulit di Kecamatan Cempaka Putih dan Tanjung Priok, Jakarta

Diphtheria infection commonly occure in the respiratory tract, and cutaneous diphtheriae may rarely occur. The involvement of Corynaebacterium diphtheriae in cutaneous lesions possibly will in­duced natural immunity and also as the reservoir of spread for faucial diphtheriae. Skin swabs, throat swabs and blood were collected from 370 persons having cutaneous lesions visited Cempaka Putih and Tanjung Priok Health Centre. Swabs were processed for bacteriological investigation. Antibody against diphtheria were measured by passive haemagglutination test. The results indicate that the percentage of positif diphtheria in the cutaneous lesions and throats were 2.54% and 2,54% in Kecamatan Cempaka Putih and 0.03% and 3.08% in Kecamatan Tanjung Priok, respectively. Patients of protective antibody titres are 69.05% in Kecamatan Cempaka Putih and 67.8% in Tanjung Priok. In comparison with earlier study in Jakarta in 1960—1963, the percentage of C. diphtheriae in the cuta­neous lesions and throats decreased 25.64% and 4.49% respectively

Coordinated Container Migration and Base Station Handover in Mobile Edge Computing

Offloading computationally intensive tasks from mobile users (MUs) to a virtualized environment such as containers on a nearby edge server, can significantly reduce processing time and hence end-to-end (E2E) delay. However, when users are mobile, such containers need to be migrated to other edge servers located closer to the MUs to keep the E2E delay low. Meanwhile, the mobility of MUs necessitates handover among base stations in order to keep the wireless connections between MUs and base stations uninterrupted. In this paper, we address the joint problem of container migration and base-station handover by proposing a coordinated migration-handover mechanism, with the objective of achieving low E2E delay and minimizing service interruption. The mechanism determines the optimal destinations and time for migration and handover in a coordinated manner, along with a delta checkpoint technique that we propose. We implement a testbed edge computing system with our proposed coordinated migration-handover mechanism, and evaluate the performance using real-world applications implemented with Docker container (an industry-standard). The results demonstrate that our mechanism achieves 30%-40% lower service downtime and 13%-22% lower E2E delay as compared to other mechanisms. Our work is instrumental in offering smooth user experience in mobile edge computing.Comment: 6 pages. Accepted for presentation at the IEEE Global Communications Conference (Globecom), Taipei, Taiwan, Dec. 202

Does afforestation deteriorate haze pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), China?

Although aggressive emission control strategies have been implemented recently in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area (BTH), China, pervasive and persistent haze still frequently engulfs the region during wintertime. Afforestation in BTH, primarily concentrated in the Taihang and Yan Mountains, has constituted one of the controversial factors exacerbating the haze pollution due to its slowdown of the surface wind speed. We report here an increasing trend of forest cover in BTH during 2001-2013 based on long-term satellite measurements and the impact of the afforestation on the fine-particle (PM2.5) level. Simulations using the Weather Research and Forecast model with chemistry reveal that afforestation in BTH since 2001 has generally been deteriorating the haze pollution in BTH to some degree, enhancing PM2.5 concentrations by up to 6% on average. Complete afforestation or deforestation in the Taihang and Yan Mountains would increase or decrease the PM2.5 level within 15% in BTH. Our model results also suggest that implementing a large ventilation corridor system would not be effective or beneficial to mitigate the haze pollution in Beijing