FPGA-based implementation of classification techniques: A survey

Recently, a number of classification techniques have been introduced. However, processing large dataset in a reasonable time has become a major challenge. This made classification task more complex and expensive in calculation. Thus, the need for solutions to overcome these constraints such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). In this paper, we give an overview of the various classification techniques. Then, we present the existing FPGA based implementation of these classification methods. After that, we investigate the confronted challenges and the optimizations strategies. Finally, we highlight the hardware accelerator architectures and tools for hardware design suggested to improve the FPGA implementation of classification methods.     

Residual attention-based tracking-by-detection network with attention-driven data augmentation

Tracking-by-detection (TBD) is a significant framework for visual object tracking. However, current trackers are usually updated online based on random sampling with a probability distribution. The performance of the learning-based TBD trackers is limited by the lack of discriminative features, especially when the background is full of semantic distractors. We propose an attention-driven data augmentation method, in which a residual attention mechanism is integrated into the TBD tracking network as supplementary references to identify discriminative image features. A mask generating network is used to simulate changes in target appearances to obtain positive samples, where attention information and image features are combined to identify discriminative features. In addition, we propose a method for mining hard negative samples, which searches for semantic distractors with the response of the attention module. The experiments on the OTB2015, UAV123, and LaSOT benchmarks show that this method achieves competitive performance in terms of accuracy and robustness.     

Structural Aspects and Prediction of Calmodulin-Binding Proteins

Calmodulin (CaM) is an important intracellular protein that binds Ca²⁺ and functions as a critical second messenger involved in numerous biological activities through extensive interactions with proteins and peptides. CaM’s ability to adapt to binding targets with different structures is related to the flexible central helix separating the N- and C-terminal lobes, which allows for conformational changes between extended and collapsed forms of the protein. CaM-binding targets are most often identified using prediction algorithms that utilize sequence and structural data to predict regions of peptides and proteins that can interact with CaM. In this review, we provide an overview of different CaM-binding proteins, the motifs through which they interact with CaM, and shared properties that make them good binding partners for CaM. Additionally, we discuss the historical and current methods for predicting CaM binding, and the similarities and differences between these methods and their relative success at prediction. As new CaM-binding proteins are identified and classified, we will gain a broader understanding of the biological processes regulated through changes in Ca²⁺ concentration through interactions with CaM.     

Vulnerable objects detection for autonomous driving: A review

Object detection performed by Autonomous Vehicles (AV)s is a crucial operation that comes ahead of various autonomous driving tasks, such as object tracking, trajectories estimation, and collision avoidance. Dynamic road elements (pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles) impose a greater challenge due to their continuously changing location and behaviour. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art object detection technologies focusing on both the sensory systems and algorithms used. It begins with a brief introduction on the autonomous driving operations and challenges. Then, different sensory systems employed on existing AVs are elaborated while illustrating their advantages, limitations and applications. Also, sensory systems employed by different research are reviewed. Moreover, due to the significant role Deep Neural Networks (DNN)s are playing in object detection tasks, different DNN-based networks are also highlighted. Afterwards, previous research on dynamic objects detection performed by AVs are reviewed in tabular forms. Finally, a conclusion summarizes the outcomes of the review and suggests future work towards the development of vehicles with higher automation levels.     

Technology enhanced learning of quantitative critical thinking

A Quantitative Critical Thinking (QCT) software tool was developed in this study to facilitate students’ learning of quantitative critical thinking via repeated practice by chemical engineering students reading a core module called fluid-solid systems. The software tool generated detailed calculation steps to typical engineering design problems encountered in this module that contained weaknesses, flaws or even errors. Students utilized the software tool to practice identifying these weaknesses, flaws or errors in the design solutions and then present a better or correct design by applying the concepts and knowledge acquired in the module. Since the QCT software tool was built upon an existing design software tool that was able to generate the correct, detailed design calculation steps to design problems, students were able to check their own design calculations against those presented by the software tool during this second learning step, thereby engaging in and learning quantitative critical thinking via a repeated practice approach. The software tool was successful in enhancing the performance of second-year undergraduate students in solving a question that required quantitative critical thinking in the final examination of the module. The average percentage scores achieved by students for the question who reported higher frequencies of usage of the software were generally higher than those who reported lower frequencies of usage or did not utilize the software tool throughout the semester.     

Acquisition and Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance: A tet(X) Case Study

Understanding the mechanisms leading to the rise and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is crucially important for the preservation of power of antimicrobials and controlling infectious diseases. Measures to monitor and detect AMR, however, have been significantly delayed and introduced much later after the beginning of industrial production and consumption of antimicrobials. However, monitoring and detection of AMR is largely focused on bacterial pathogens, thus missing multiple key events which take place before the emergence and spread of AMR among the pathogens. In this regard, careful analysis of AMR development towards recently introduced antimicrobials may serve as a valuable example for the better understanding of mechanisms driving AMR evolution. Here, the example of evolution of tet(X), which confers resistance to the next-generation tetracyclines, is summarised and discussed. Initial mechanisms of resistance to these antimicrobials among pathogens were mostly via chromosomal mutations leading to the overexpression of efflux pumps. High-level resistance was achieved only after the acquisition of flavin-dependent monooxygenase-encoding genes from the environmental microbiota. These genes confer resistance to all tetracyclines, including the next-generation tetracyclines, and thus were termed tet(X). ISCR2 and IS26, as well as a variety of conjugative and mobilizable plasmids of different incompatibility groups, played an essential role in the acquisition of tet(X) genes from natural reservoirs and in further dissemination among bacterial commensals and pathogens. This process, which took place within the last decade, demonstrates how rapidly AMR evolution may progress, taking away some drugs of last resort from our arsenal.     

Past is important: Improved image captioning by looking back in time

A major development in the area of image captioning consists of trying to incorporate visual attention in the design of language generative model. However, most previous studies only emphasize its role in enhancing visual composition at the current moment, while neglect its role in global sequence reasoning. This problem appears not only in captioning model, but also in reinforcement learning structure. To tackle this issue, we first propose a Visual Reserved model that enables previous visual context to be considered for the current sequence reasoning. Next, a Attentional-Fluctuation Supervised model is also proposed in reinforcement learning structure. Compared against the traditional strategies that only take non-differentiable Natural Language Processing (NLP) metrics as the incentive standard, the proposed model regards the fluctuation of previous attention matrix as an important indicator to judge the convergence of the captioning model. The proposed methods have been tested on MS-COCO captioning dataset and achieve competitive results evaluated by the evaluation server of MS COCO captioning challenge.     

Molecular fingerprint and machine learning to accelerate design of high-performance homochiral metal–organic frameworks

Computational screening was employed to calculate the enantioseparation capabilities of 45 functionalized homochiral metal–organic frameworks (FHMOFs), and machine learning (ML) and molecular fingerprint (MF) techniques were used to find new FHMOFs with high performance. With increasing temperature, the enantioselectivities for (R,S)-1,3-dimethyl-1,2-propadiene are improved. The “glove effect” in the chiral pockets was proposed to explain the correlations between the steric effect of functional groups and performance of FHMOFs. Moreover, the neighborhood component analysis and RDKit/MACCS MFs show the highest predictive effect on enantioselectivities among the four ML classification algorithms with nine MFs that were tested. Based on the importance of MF, 85 new FHMOFs were designed, and a newly designed FHMOF, NO₂-NHOH-FHMOF, with high similarity to the optimal MFs achieved improved chiral separation performance, with enantioselectivities of 85%. The design principles and new chiral pockets obtained by ML and MFs could facilitate the development of new materials for chiral separation.