Parallel and distributed clustering framework for big spatial data mining

ABSTRACT

Clustering techniques are very attractive for identifying and extracting patterns of interests from datasets. However, their application to very large spatial datasets presents numerous challenges such as high-dimensionality, heterogeneity, and high complexity of some algorithms. Distributed clustering techniques constitute a very good alternative to the Big Data challenges (e.g., Volume, Variety, Veracity, and Velocity). In this paper, we developed and implemented a Dynamic Parallel and Distributed clustering (DPDC) approach that can analyse Big Data within a reasonable response time and produce accurate results, by using existing and current computing and storage infrastructure, such as cloud computing. The DPDC approach consists of two phases. The first phase is fully parallel and it generates local clusters and the second phase aggregates the local results to obtain global clusters. The aggregation phase is designed in such a way that the final clusters are compact and accurate while the overall process is efficient in time and memory allocation. DPDC was thoroughly tested and compared to well-known clustering algorithms BIRCH and CURE. The results show that the approach not only produces high-quality results but also scales up very well by taking advantage of the Hadoop MapReduce paradigm or any distributed system.     

Biochemical characterisation of the seed oils of four safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) varieties grown in north‐eastern of Morocco

The quality of the oil of four safflower varieties, originating from Spain (Rancho), India (Sharda) and Morocco (Cartamar and Cartafri), which were cultivated at the experimental station in Oujda (a semi‐arid region of eastern Morocco) was evaluated through analysis of their phenolic and carotenoid contents. The composition of the phenolic compounds of safflower oil has not yet been documented. Therefore, in this preliminary study, Thirty different phenolic compounds were identified, and significant differences between the oil varieties were observed (P < 0.05). In the seed oil from the Rancho and Sharda safflower varieties, the main phenolic compound was trans‐chalcone, representing 13.45% and 11.8%, respectively, of the total phenolics, whereas in Cartamar and Cartafri oils, naringin accounted for 26.82% and 16.5%, respectively, of the total phenolics. The total carotenoid contents ranged from 1.13 mg kg^?1 (Rancho) to 1.34 mg kg^?1 (Cartamar and Cartafri). We observed that β‐cryptoxanthin (0.31–0.37 mg kg^?1) and β‐carotene (0.3–0.35 mg kg^?1) were the predominant carotenoids in all of the safflower oils that were studied.     

Evaluation and Improvement of a Transition Business Process: A Case Study Guided by a Semantic Quality-Based Approach

A transition in an outsourced IT project is devoted to the transfer of the project from an outgoing project team to an incoming one. It is a complex, risky, and challenging building block of importance, identified as being a critical factor in the success of an outsourced project. Ensuring the good quality of a transition is then fundamental. We present here our experience on quality evaluation and improvement of a real transition in a public institution.     

Intermodal recoding of a video game: Learning to process signals for motion perception in a pure auditory environment

The aim of the study reported here was to investigate people's ability to learn a new auditory environment. A specific coding was developed in order to design an auditory version of a vision‐based simple video game involving moving objects. We investigated the learning process of participants in this purely auditory game and the influence of the following factors on performance: gender, level of practice in video games and three cognitive abilities, namely, mental rotation, visual attention and spatial perception. The results revealed that occasional and regular players' level of performance significantly improved with practice, whereas those of nonplayers did not. They also revealed a significant influence of gender. Scores in the mental rotation test was found to be correlated only with the final level of performance. This study provides insights into people's ability to learn new ways to perceive and interact with auditory objects in motion and highlights the cognitive abilities that influence this learning. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Robust crypto-watermarking approach based on spherical harmonics and AES algorithm for 3D mesh safe transmission

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The wide range of applications of 3D meshes and the birth of very high-speed networks for storing 3D models in remote multimedia databases have made the...     

Automatic Crack Detection and Characterization During Ultrasonic Inspection

The creation of a non-destructive technique that enables the automatic detection of defects is desirable, and TOFD (Time-Of-Flight Diffraction) technique is gaining rapid prominence due to its high accuracy in detecting, positioning and sizing flaws in steel structures. In this type of imaging, cracks are characterized using sets of hyperbolas, where summit positions correspond to crack tip positions. However, ultrasonic diffracted signals are often too low and difficult to distinguish from noise, and when large structures are inspected, the quantity of data can be extremely large, with the area of interest being very small in comparison to the image size. This paper describes a method that avoids the image formation, replacing it with a sparse matrix (as there is no reason to store and operate on an excessive number of zeros), and automates crack detection by analyzing the curve formed by the sparse matrix elements. The sparse matrix is formed using Split-Spectrum Processing, which enhances the signal-to-noise ratio. The Randomized Hough transform is then applied on the sparse matrix elements to detect the hyperbolas that characterize the crack defects.     

Site-selective spectroscopy of Eu-doped orthorhombic lanthanum and monoclinic yttrium polyphosphates

In order to study the influence in the change of the coordination environment of the cationic sites on the luminescent properties of rare-earth ions doping polyphosphates Ln(PO₃)₃ (Ln = La, Y) with two different structures, the time-resolved luminescence of the Eu³⁺ ion, used as structural probe, is reported. La(PO₃)₃ has an orthorhombic structure in which only one position with eight coordination is available for the cation, while Y(PO₃)₃ adopts the Yb(PO₃)₃ structure in which four slightly different octahedral sites are available for the trivalent rare-earth ion. Site-selective excitation of the ⁵D₀ level was performed and luminescence decay times of each Eu³⁺ site were measured at 77 K. The spectroscopic results are discussed and correlated with the structural data.     

Synthesis, structure refinement and characterization of tetrahydrated acid gadolinium diphosphate HGdP2O7·4H2O

Synthesis and single crystal structure are reported for a new gadolinium acid diphosphate tetrahydrate HGdP₂O₇·4H₂O. This salt crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/n, with the following unit-cell parameters: a = 6.6137(2) Å, b = 11.4954(4) Å, c = 11.377(4) Å, β = 87.53(2)° and Z = 4. Its crystal structure was refined to R = 0.0333 using 1783 reflections. The corresponding atomic arrangement can be described as an alternation of corrugated layers of monohydrogendiphosphate groups and GdO₈ polyhedra parallel to the () plane. The cohesion between the different diphosphoric groups is provided by strong hydrogen bonding involving the W4 water molecule.

IR and Raman spectra of HGdP₂O₇·4H₂O confirm the existence of the characteristic bands of diphosphate group in 980–700 cm⁻¹ area. The IR spectrum reveals also the characteristic bands of water molecules vibration (3600–3230 cm⁻¹) and acidic hydrogen ones (2340 cm⁻¹). TG and DTA investigations show that the dehydration of this salt occurs between 79 and 900 °C. It decomposes after dehydration into an amorphous phase. Gadolinium diphosphate Gd₄(P₂O₇)₃ was obtained by heating HGdP₂O₇·4H₂O in a static air furnace at 850 °C for 48 h.     

Quantitative Analysis of Crack Shielding Degradation During Cyclic Fatigue of Alumina

Grain bridging degradation behind a crack tip is the main cyclic fatigue mechanism in nontransforming ceramics. In this work, a compliance function is used to quantify the shielding capacity of grain bridges during cyclic loading of alumina ceramics with different grain sizes. This allows to identify the different stages occurring during cyclic loading. Significant degradation is observed in the coarse grain material and a marked sensitivity to the loading level is outlined. At moderate loads, bridging degradation occurs prior to fatigue crack growth during an incubation period which can reach several million cycles. At low cyclic loads, the shielding capacity can be entirely degraded, leading to a cyclic fatigue threshold equivalent to that of the fine grain material.