Unified Data-Free Compression: Pruning and Quantization without Fine-Tuning

Structured pruning and quantization are promising approaches for reducing the inference time and memory footprint of neural networks. However, most existing methods require the original training dataset to fine-tune the model. This not only brings heavy resource consumption but also is not possible for applications with sensitive or proprietary data due to privacy and security concerns. Therefore, a few data-free methods are proposed to address this problem, but they perform data-free pruning and quantization separately, which does not explore the complementarity of pruning and quantization. In this paper, we propose a novel framework named Unified Data-Free Compression(UDFC), which performs pruning and quantization simultaneously without any data and fine-tuning process. Specifically, UDFC starts with the assumption that the partial information of a damaged(e.g., pruned or quantized) channel can be preserved by a linear combination of other channels, and then derives the reconstruction form from the assumption to restore the information loss due to compression. Finally, we formulate the reconstruction error between the original network and its compressed network, and theoretically deduce the closed-form solution. We evaluate the UDFC on the large-scale image classification task and obtain significant improvements over various network architectures and compression methods. For example, we achieve a 20.54% accuracy improvement on ImageNet dataset compared to SOTA method with 30% pruning ratio and 6-bit quantization on ResNet-34.Comment: ICCV202

Development and validation of a preoperative MRI-based radiomics nomogram to predict progression-free survival in patients with clival chordomas

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to establish and validate a MRI-based radiomics nomogram to predict progression-free survival (PFS) of clival chordoma.MethodsA total of 174 patients were enrolled in the study (train cohort: 121 cases, test cohort: 53 cases). Radiomic features were extracted from multiparametric MRIs. Intraclass correlation coefficient analysis and a Lasso and Elastic-Net regularized generalized linear model were used for feature selection. Then, a nomogram was established via univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis in the train cohort. The performance of this nomogram was assessed by area under curve (AUC) and calibration curve.ResultsA total of 3318 radiomic features were extracted from each patient, of which 2563 radiomic features were stable features. After feature selection, seven radiomic features were selected. Cox regression analysis revealed that 2 clinical factors (degree of resection, and presence or absence of primary chordoma) and 4 radiomic features were independent prognostic factors. The AUC of the established nomogram was 0.747, 0.807, and 0.904 for PFS prediction at 1, 3, and 5 years in the train cohort, respectively, compared with 0.582, 0.852, and 0.914 in the test cohort. Calibration and risk score stratified survival curves were satisfactory in the train and test cohort.ConclusionsThe presented nomogram demonstrated a favorable predictive accuracy of PFS, which provided a novel tool to predict prognosis and risk stratification. Our results suggest that radiomic analysis can effectively help neurosurgeons perform individualized evaluations of patients with clival chordomas

Simulation analysis of internal and external faults in transformer area

Under different types of internal and external faults of transformers, electrical quantities such as voltage, differential current and transformer oil flow rate change accordingly. In this paper, the variation law is studied, and the variation law of differential current and other electrical quantities under different types of faults and abnormal conditions inside and outside the transformer area is verified by simulation. The characteristics of faults inside and outside the area are different, and the faults inside and outside the transformer area are judged. At the same time, ANSYS Maxwell 3D, ANSYS Fluent and other software are used to model and simulate the transformer, and the oil flow rate changes under different operating conditions such as normal operation, external fault and internal fault of the transformer are analyzed

Research Hotspots and Visual Analysis of Tolerance in Multicultural Contexts (2000-2022)

The study analyzes the current state of research, frontiers, and trends in tolerance studies in multicultural contexts. The Web of Science Core Collection database was used to retrieve relevant literature from 2000 to 2022. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were employed to analyze keywords through co-occurrence networks, co-polymerization classes, and burst terms, with a corresponding visual atlas created for analysis. A total of 705 valid articles were included. The results revealed that Maykel Verkuyten authored the highest number of articles ( n  = 12). The United States contributed the highest number of articles ( n  = 376, 53.33%). The Interpersonal Journal of Intercultural Relations published the most articles ( n  = 38, 5.39%). The most highly cited author was Shelly P. Harrell ( n  = 876) in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry . The keyword with the highest frequency, surpassing 200 mentions, was “prejudice” ( n  = 205). The top three keywords in terms of centrality were “culture” ( n  = 0.13), “attitude” ( n  = 0.12), and “discrimination” ( n  = 0.11). Major research topics and hotspots in the field of Tolerance in Multicultural Contexts included the Color-blind perspective, Prejudice reduction practices, Tolerance education, and Ethnicity. The study highlights a growing interest in the effectiveness of education as an intervention to reduce prejudice among young people. Further research in this domain should combined the Internet and transcend the confines of prejudice

Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) expression plays an important role in the diagnosis and grading of endometrial cancer

The research aimed to investigate the expression of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) in cancer tissues and normal endometrium and the expression of HLA-G in the three different grades of Endometrial cancer, to determine if HLA-G expression is related with the diagnosis and grading of endometrial cancer. The expression of HLA-G protein was analysed in the primary tumour in 97 tissue samples obtained from endometrial cancer, in which 30 samples were at pathological Grade 1; 37 samples were at Grade 2; 27 samples were at Grade 3; and the other 5 samples were obtained from normal endometrium. The HLA-G protein level was measured by immunohistochemical method and analysed according to the clinicopathological parameters of patients. A statistically significant difference (p < .05) was observed in HLA-G expression between the cancerous tissue and the normal endometrium (p = .0007), and the histochemistry score (H-score) of the negative control was 0.05 ± 0.03 (mean ± SD). Statistically significant correlations were also observed between samples of pathological Grade 1 and Grade 2 (p = .0126), Grade 2 and Grade 3 (p = .0359), Grade 1 and Grade 3 (p = .0001). Endometrial cancer cells express higher levels of HLA-G probably to escape immune surveillance, and HLA-G expression level is related with the pathological grade of endometrial cancer. Therefore, HLA-G detecting and quantifying could possibly help diagnosing, grading and treatment of endometrial cancer.Impact statement What is already known on this subject? The expression of a member of the non-classical HLA antigens, HLA-G, is one of the main ways for tumour immune escape and progression. The significance of HLA-G in tumour biology has been intensively investigated (Carosella et al. ), and now it is widely acknowledged that HLA-G expression in tumours is highly linked with immune suppressive microenvironments, advanced tumour stage, poor therapeutic responses and prognosis (Lin and Yan, ). However, to our knowledge, no research has been conducted on the correlation between HLA-G expression and pathological grades of endometrial cancer. What do the results of this study add? Our study demonstrated that the expression of HLA-G plays an important role in the pathological grading of endometrial cancer. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Measuring the level of HLA-G expression to help pathological grading of endometrial cancer is important in determining the treatment of patients with endometrial cancer and studying the underlying mechanisms of the development of endometrial cancer, while proving or finding new targeted therapies inhibiting or modifying these processes still requires further investigation

Design and Control of an Ultra-Low-Cost Logistic Delivery Fixed-Wing UAV

In contemporary logistics, the deployment of fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a transportation platform is experiencing rapid advancements, garnering substantial application within numerous logistic operations with pronounced efficacies. There are notable impediments to the utilization of commercial logistic-oriented fixed-wing UAVs, including elevated procurement and maintenance costs, extensive maintenance intervals, and unsuitability for small-volume, low-altitude transport tasks. These factors collectively exacerbate the risk associated with enterprise procurement and elevate the cost–benefit ratio. This study introduces the design and fabrication of a cost-efficient UAV for logistic delivery purposes, constructed primarily from cost-effective wood materials. This UAV is engineered to ferry payloads of up to 1000 g across a predefined aerial route at an altitude of 40 m. Upon reaching the designated location, the UAV is programmed to initiate the identification of the drop zone, thereafter descending to facilitate the release of the cargo. To mitigate the impact force during the landing phase, the payload was encapsulated within a sponge-damping layer, thereby preserving the integrity of the transported items. The empirical findings from outdoor delivery trials underscore the UAV’s ability to precisely execute payload drops at the targeted locations, confirming its potential to fulfill the logistical requirements for the transportation and delivery of small-volume items in a cost-effective, low-altitude framework. This investigation contributes to the burgeoning discourse on leveraging ultra-low-cost UAVs in logistics, offering a feasible solution to the challenges of cost and efficiency in UAV-operated delivery systems

Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation in the Elderly >75 Years Old: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Background: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is an established therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF); however, there is a limited understanding of LAAC in elderly patients (≥75 years old). We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the procedural complications and long-term outcomes after LAAC in the elderly versus the non-elderly. Methods: We screened PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Procedural endpoints of interest included successful implantation LAAC rates, in-hospital mortality, major bleeding events, pericardial effusion/tamponade, stroke, and vascular access complications related to LAAC. Long-term outcomes included all-cause mortality, major bleeding events, and stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) during follow-up. Results: Finally, 12 studies were included in the analysis; these included a total of 25,094 people in the elderly group and 36,035 people in the non-elderly group. The successful implantation LAAC rates did not differ between the groups, while the elderly patients experienced more periprocedural mortality (OR 2.62; 95% CI 1.79–3.83, p 2 = 0%), pericardial effusion/tamponade (OR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06–1.82, p 2 = 0%), major bleeding events (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.17–1.48, p 2 = 0%), and vascular access complications (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.16–1.55, p 2 = 0%) than the non-elderly patients. The long-term stroke/TIA rates did not differ between the elderly and the non-elderly at least one year after follow-up. Conclusions: Even though successful implantation LAAC rates are similar, elderly patients have a significantly higher incidence of periprocedural mortality, major bleeding events, vascular access complications, and pericardial effusion/tamponade after LAAC than non-elderly patients. The stroke/TIA rates did not differ between both groups after at least one-year follow-up

Sedimentary characteristics of the northern continental slope of the Danube Canyon in the northwest of the Black Sea and its relation with paleoclimate changes

This paper is the result of environmental geological survey engineering.[Objective]In the last glacial period, global climate was characterized by rapid, large-scale temperature cycles on a millennial scale. Such climate changes could be recorded in many geological materials such as ice cores, deep-sea sediments, Chinese loess, and cave stalagmites. The Black Sea is located in the transition zone between the North Atlantic and East Asian monsoon regions and has formed representative sedimentary records. This article is aimed at establishing the connections between the regional environmental changes of the Black Sea and the climate changes in the North Atlantic and East Asian monsoon area through the study of the sedimentary sequences of the Black Sea.[Methods]In this study, a 22.0 m core sample taken from Core GAS-CS12 in the northern slope of the Danube Canyon in the northwest of the Black Sea was analyzed for particle size, mineral composition, major elements, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and carbon and nitrogen isotopes.[Results]It was revealed that the core sediments of this section were deposited in the&quot;Neoeuxine&quot;lacustrine stage in the middle and late period of the last glacial period, and can be divided into 5 sedimentary units, corresponding to H4, H3, and H1 climate change events in the North Atlantic, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and Bolling- Allerod climate warming event.[Conclusions]The connections between the sedimentary sequences and regional environmental changes of the Black Sea with the climate changes in the North Atlantic and East Asian monsoon area were established and this paper also confirmed that the millennium-scale climate changes of the last glacial period were highly consistent in the North Atlantic, East Asian monsoon area and their transition zones.Highlights: Established the connections between the sedimentary sequences and regional environmental changes of the Black Sea; Provided reliable timescales for millennium-scale climate changes in the transition zone between the North Atlantic and East Asian monsoon regions

To Adopt CCU Technology or Not? An Evolutionary Game between Local Governments and Coal-Fired Power Plants

Carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) technology is a significant means by which China can achieve its ambitious carbon neutrality goal. It is necessary to explore the behavioral strategies of relevant companies in adopting CCU technology. In this paper, an evolutionary game model is established in order to analyze the interaction process and evolution direction of local governments and coal-fired power plants. We develop a replicator dynamic system and analyze the stability of the system under different conditions. Based on numerical simulation, we analyze the impact of key parameters on the strategies of stakeholders. The simulation results show that the unit prices of hydrogen and carbon dioxide derivatives have the most significant impact: when the unit price of hydrogen decreases to 15.9 RMB/kg or the unit price of carbon dioxide derivatives increases to 3.4 RMB/kg, the evolutionary stabilization strategy of the system changes and power plants shift to adopt CCU technology. The results of this paper suggest that local governments should provide relevant support policies and incentives for CCU technology deployment, as well as focusing on the synergistic development of CCU technology and renewable energy hydrogen production technology

To Adopt CCU Technology or Not? An Evolutionary Game between Local Governments and Coal-Fired Power Plants

Carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) technology is a significant means by which China can achieve its ambitious carbon neutrality goal. It is necessary to explore the behavioral strategies of relevant companies in adopting CCU technology. In this paper, an evolutionary game model is established in order to analyze the interaction process and evolution direction of local governments and coal-fired power plants. We develop a replicator dynamic system and analyze the stability of the system under different conditions. Based on numerical simulation, we analyze the impact of key parameters on the strategies of stakeholders. The simulation results show that the unit prices of hydrogen and carbon dioxide derivatives have the most significant impact: when the unit price of hydrogen decreases to 15.9 RMB/kg or the unit price of carbon dioxide derivatives increases to 3.4 RMB/kg, the evolutionary stabilization strategy of the system changes and power plants shift to adopt CCU technology. The results of this paper suggest that local governments should provide relevant support policies and incentives for CCU technology deployment, as well as focusing on the synergistic development of CCU technology and renewable energy hydrogen production technology