M-tensors and The Positive Definiteness of a Multivariate Form

We study M-tensors and various properties of M-tensors are given. Specially, we show that the smallest real eigenvalue of M-tensor is positive corresponding to a nonnegative eigenvector. We propose an algorithm to find the smallest positive eigenvalue and then apply the property to study the positive definiteness of a multivariate form

PEA265: Perceptual Assessment of Video Compression Artifacts

The most widely used video encoders share a common hybrid coding framework that includes block-based motion estimation/compensation and block-based transform coding. Despite their high coding efficiency, the encoded videos often exhibit visually annoying artifacts, denoted as Perceivable Encoding Artifacts (PEAs), which significantly degrade the visual Qualityof- Experience (QoE) of end users. To monitor and improve visual QoE, it is crucial to develop subjective and objective measures that can identify and quantify various types of PEAs. In this work, we make the first attempt to build a large-scale subjectlabelled database composed of H.265/HEVC compressed videos containing various PEAs. The database, namely the PEA265 database, includes 4 types of spatial PEAs (i.e. blurring, blocking, ringing and color bleeding) and 2 types of temporal PEAs (i.e. flickering and floating). Each containing at least 60,000 image or video patches with positive and negative labels. To objectively identify these PEAs, we train Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) using the PEA265 database. It appears that state-of-theart ResNeXt is capable of identifying each type of PEAs with high accuracy. Furthermore, we define PEA pattern and PEA intensity measures to quantify PEA levels of compressed video sequence. We believe that the PEA265 database and our findings will benefit the future development of video quality assessment methods and perceptually motivated video encoders.Comment: 10 pages,15 figures,4 table

Status and strategies analysis on international standardization of auricular acupuncture points

AbstractObjectiveTo supply literature for developing an international standard of auricular acupuncture points.MethodsElectronic database searches were conducted in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP, and the Western databases, Pubmed, the National Science and Technology Library, and the German Journal of Acupuncture, from 1990 to April, 2012. We also searched the documents of international symposiums for auricular acupuncture points (AAPs). Keywords were “auricular points”, “auricular acupuncture points”, “ear points”, or “auriculotherapy”.ResultsBasic and clinical research on AAPs was performed in China, the United States, France, and Germany. Clinical AAP research was done in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, the UK, Holland, Japan, Russia, and Africa. However, AAP research was not communicated internationally. The World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies recommended international standard of auricular acupuncture points (ISAAPs). Standardized nomenclature and locations of AAPs would provide a solid basis to draft an international standard organization.ConclusionExperts need to find common points from different countries or regions, provide evidence of different ideas, and list the proposal as a recommendation for an international standard

Status and strategies analysis on international standardization of auricular acupuncture points

AbstractObjectiveTo supply literature for developing an international standard of auricular acupuncture points.MethodsElectronic database searches were conducted in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP, and the Western databases, Pubmed, the National Science and Technology Library, and the German Journal of Acupuncture, from 1990 to April, 2012. We also searched the documents of international symposiums for auricular acupuncture points (AAPs). Keywords were “auricular points”, “auricular acupuncture points”, “ear points”, or “auriculotherapy”.ResultsBasic and clinical research on AAPs was performed in China, the United States, France, and Germany. Clinical AAP research was done in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, the UK, Holland, Japan, Russia, and Africa. However, AAP research was not communicated internationally. The World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies recommended international standard of auricular acupuncture points (ISAAPs). Standardized nomenclature and locations of AAPs would provide a solid basis to draft an international standard organization.ConclusionExperts need to find common points from different countries or regions, provide evidence of different ideas, and list the proposal as a recommendation for an international standard

Prognostic Outcomes and Risk Factors for Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma and Venous Tumor Thrombus after Radical Nephrectomy and Thrombectomy: The Prognostic Significance of Venous Tumor Thrombus Level.

IntroductionTo evaluate the prognostic outcomes and risk factors for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients with venous tumor thrombus in China.Materials and methodsWe reviewed the clinical information of 169 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy. Overall and cancer-specific survival rates were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the potential prognostic factors.ResultsThe median survival time was 63 months. The five-year overall survival and cancer-specific survival rate were 53.6% and 54.4% for all patients. For all patients, significant survival difference was only observed between early (below hepatic vein) and advanced (above hepatic vein) tumor thrombus. However, significant differences existed between both RV/IVC and early/advanced tumor thrombus groups in N0M0 patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that higher tumor thrombus level (p = 0.016, RR = 1.58), N (p = 0.013, RR = 2.60), and M (p < 0.001, RR = 4.14) stages and adrenal gland invasion (p = 0.001, RR = 4.91) were the most significant negative prognostic predictors.ConclusionsIn this study, we reported most cases of RCC patients with venous extension in China. We proved that patients with RCC and venous tumor thrombus may have relative promising long-term survival rate, especially those with early tumor thrombus

Metamorphic relations for enhancing system understanding and use

Modern information technology paradigms, such as online services and off-the-shelf products, often involve a wide variety of users with different or even conflicting objectives. Every software output may satisfy some users, but may also fail to satisfy others. Furthermore, users often do not know the internal working mechanisms of the systems. This situation is quite different from bespoke software, where developers and users usually know each other. This paper proposes an approach to help users to better understand the software that they use, and thereby more easily achieve their objectives—even when they do not fully understand how the system is implemented. Our approach borrows the concept of metamorphic relations from the field of metamorphic testing (MT), using it in an innovative way that extends beyond MT. We also propose a "symmetry" metamorphic relation pattern and a "change direction" metamorphic relation input pattern that can be used to derive multiple concrete metamorphic relations. Empirical studies reveal previously unknown failures in some of the most popular applications in the world, and show how our approach can help users to better understand and better use the systems. The empirical results provide strong evidence of the simplicity, applicability, and effectiveness of our methodology

The similarities between the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies’ standards for auricular acupuncture points and the European System of Auriculotherapy Points according to Nogier and Bahr

AbstractIntroductionBasic and clinical research on auricular acupuncture points (AAPs) was performed in China, the United States, France and Germany. Clinical auricular acupuncture point (AAP) research was done in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, the UK, Holland, Japan, Russia, and Africa. This paper is aimed at investigating the similarities of WFAS standard of auricular acupuncture points (AAPs) and European system of AAPs according to Nogier and Bahr.MethodsSimilarities were analyzed from the perspective of name and location of auricular acupuncture points, taking the standards of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS)-Auricular Acupuncture Point, and the European system of auricular acupuncture according to Nogier/Bahr as a reference.ResultsThe location of the acupoints associated with the locomotor system, including shoulder, wrist, elbow, finger, pelvis and buttock, were similar. The reflexed gastrointestinal system on the auricle, including stomach, esophagus, duodenum, small intestine, large intestine, appendix, liver, gallbladder and pancreas were also similar, as were the mapping for the urogenital system, including the ureter, urinary bladder, prostate and urethra. For the head region, only the eye point is similar but for the nervous system, including the temple, occiput, sub-cortex and endocrine, locations were similar. An additional twenty-five sub-areas or points, named by the auricular anatomical name, can be listed internationally as more widely acknowledged points.ConclusionThere are twenty-four auricular acupuncture points sharing the same name and similar locations, and twenty-five sub-areas or points which share the auricular anatomical name with different reflexed parts of the body and different therapeutic effects

BBF RFC 101: Logic Gene Module Standard

This Request for Comments (RFC) describes a new framework for standardize logic gene relations among gene circuits. Each type of logic module in gene circuit can be summarized in a standard device in electronics. In this paper, we collect several frequently-used logic modules and the corresponding classic gene structure

BBF RFC97: Genetic Circuit Standard 1.0

Current, there is well adopted documentation of biobricks. The Registry of Standard Biology Part set the standard documentation for biobrick. However, there is no standard way to document a genetic circuit, what information should be included in a description of a genetic circuit. We have therefore develop the technique standard for recording a genetic circuits. This standard will help the sharing of genetic circuits’ information among synthetic biology community