Fine-Pruning: Joint Fine-Tuning and Compression of a Convolutional Network with Bayesian Optimization

When approaching a novel visual recognition problem in a specialized image domain, a common strategy is to start with a pre-trained deep neural network and fine-tune it to the specialized domain. If the target domain covers a smaller visual space than the source domain used for pre-training (e.g. ImageNet), the fine-tuned network is likely to be over-parameterized. However, applying network pruning as a post-processing step to reduce the memory requirements has drawbacks: fine-tuning and pruning are performed independently; pruning parameters are set once and cannot adapt over time; and the highly parameterized nature of state-of-the-art pruning methods make it prohibitive to manually search the pruning parameter space for deep networks, leading to coarse approximations. We propose a principled method for jointly fine-tuning and compressing a pre-trained convolutional network that overcomes these limitations. Experiments on two specialized image domains (remote sensing images and describable textures) demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach.Comment: BMVC 2017 ora

Pan-chromatic observations of the remarkable nova LMC 2012

We present the results of an intensive multiwavelength campaign on nova LMC 2012. This nova evolved very rapidly in all observed wavelengths. The time to fall two magnitudes in the V band was only 2 days. In X-rays the super soft phase began 13$\pm$5 days after discovery and ended around day 50 after discovery. During the super soft phase, the \Swift/XRT and \Chandra\ spectra were consistent with the underlying white dwarf being very hot, $\sim$ 1 MK, and luminous, $\sim$ 10$^{38}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The UV, optical, and near-IR photometry showed a periodic variation after the initial and rapid fading had ended. Timing analysis revealed a consistent 19.24$\pm$0.03 hr period in all UV, optical, and near-IR bands with amplitudes of $\sim$ 0.3 magnitudes which we associate with the orbital period of the central binary. No periods were detected in the corresponding X-ray data sets. A moderately high inclination system, $i$ = 60$\pm$10^{\arcdeg}, was inferred from the early optical emission lines. The {\it HST}/STIS UV spectra were highly unusual with only the \ion{N}{5} (1240\AA) line present and superposed on a blue continuum. The lack of emission lines and the observed UV and optical continua from four epochs can be fit with a low mass ejection event, $\sim$ 10$^{-6}$ M$_{\odot}$, from a hot and massive white dwarf near the Chandrasekhar limit. The white dwarf, in turn, significantly illuminated its subgiant companion which provided the bulk of the observed UV/optical continuum emission at the later dates. The inferred extreme white dwarf characteristics and low mass ejection event favor nova LMC 2012 being a recurrent nova of the U Sco subclass.Comment: 18 figures, 6 tables (one online only containing all the photometry

Factors affecting breeding status of wading birds in the Everglades.

This comprehensive final report summarizes the results of a four-year research and monitoring effort (1998 - 2001) designed to document nesting effort and success by wading birds, and to investigate the reproductive physiology and ecology of White Ibises (Eudocimus albus) in the Everglades ecosystem. The monitoring of nesting has been accomplished bystandardized systematic aerial and ground surveys and study of nesting success of nesting colonies in Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) 2 and 3 ofthe central Everglades. The White Ibis work was accomplished through 1) investigation of the nutritional, behavioral, and hormonal aspects of "normal" breeding in a captive colony of Scarlet Ibises (Eudocimus ruber, considered by many to be the same species as the White Ibis), and 2) documenting the physiology, nutritional state, breeding phenology, contaminant load, and hormonal status of free- living adult White Ibises in the central Everglades. (364 page document

Project LOBSTAQ : investigations on lobster (Homarus americanus) aquaculture, ecology and tertiary sewage treatment in controlled environmental systems

Research was based on different aspects of incorporating Homarus Americanus cultural into the multi-trophic level marine aquaculture-wastewater treatment system of the Environmental Systems laboratory at Woods Hole. Experiments were directed .toward optimizing food sources available within the system, developing designs to facilitate high density lobster growth, and elucidating the ecology of Homarus. The aquaculture-wastewater treatment system uses secondary sewage effluent or its equivalent as a nutrient source for marine phytoplankton ponds which in turn are fed into raceways containing racks of bivalves. The bivalves produce soluble nutrients used to raise macroalgae, and solid material (biodeposits) used to raise various deposit feeders. Almost all the N and over 50% of the P is removed from the wastewater by the artificial food chain.Prepared under NSF Grant GY-1154

Discrimination between bycatch and other causes of cetacean and pinniped stranding

© The Author(s), 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 127 (2018): 83-95, doi:10.3354/dao03189.The challenge of identifying cause of death in discarded bycaught marine mammals stems from a combination of the non-specific nature of the lesions of drowning, the complex physiologic adaptations unique to breath-holding marine mammals, lack of case histories, and the diverse nature of fishing gear. While no pathognomonic lesions are recognized, signs of acute external entanglement, bulging or reddened eyes, recently ingested gastric contents, pulmonary changes, and decompression-associated gas bubbles have been identified in the condition of peracute underwater entrapment (PUE) syndrome in previous studies of marine mammals. We reviewed the gross necropsy and histopathology reports of 36 cetaceans and pinnipeds including 20 directly observed bycaught and 16 live stranded animals that were euthanized between 2005 and 2011 for lesions consistent with PUE. We identified 5 criteria which present at significantly higher rates in bycaught marine mammals: external signs of acute entanglement, red or bulging eyes, recently ingested gastric contents, multi-organ congestion, and disseminated gas bubbles detected grossly during the necropsy and histologically. In contrast, froth in the trachea or primary bronchi, and lung changes (i.e. wet, heavy, froth, edema, congestion, and hemorrhage) were poor indicators of PUE. This is the first study that provides insight into the different published parameters for PUE in bycatch. For regions frequently confronted by stranded marine mammals with non-specific lesions, this could potentially aid in the investigation and quantification of marine fisheries interactions.This work was supported by the Nat - ional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) John H. Prescott Program NA12NMF4390144. The WHOI Marine Mammal Center, Wick and Sloan Simmons, and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria provided postdoctoral funding for Y.B.Q

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. II: The Second Year (2009-2010)

As an extension of the project in Kato et al. (2009, arXiv:0905.1757), we collected times of superhump maxima for 61 SU UMa-type dwarf novae mainly observed during the 2009-2010 season. The newly obtained data confirmed the basic findings reported in Kato et al. (2009): the presence of stages A-C, as well as the predominance of positive period derivatives during stage B in systems with superhump periods shorter than 0.07 d. There was a systematic difference in period derivatives for systems with superhump periods longer than 0.075 d between this study and Kato et al. (2009). We suggest that this difference is possibly caused by the relative lack of frequently outbursting SU UMa-type dwarf novae in this period regime in the present study. We recorded a strong beat phenomenon during the 2009 superoutburst of IY UMa. The close correlation between the beat period and superhump period suggests that the changing angular velocity of the apsidal motion of the elliptical disk is responsible for the variation of superhump periods. We also described three new WZ Sge-type objects with established early superhumps and one with likely early superhumps. We also suggest that two systems, VX For and EL UMa, are WZ Sge-type dwarf novae with multiple rebrightenings. The O-C variation in OT J213806.6+261957 suggests that the frequent absence of rebrightenings in very short-Porb objects can be a result of sustained superoutburst plateau at the epoch when usual SU UMa-type dwarf novae return to quiescence preceding a rebrightening. We also present a formulation for a variety of Bayesian extension to traditional period analyses.Comment: 63 pages, 77 figures, 1 appendix, Accepted for publication in PASJ, data correctio

Swift X-Ray Observations of Classical Novae. II. The Super Soft Source sample

The Swift GRB satellite is an excellent facility for studying novae. Its rapid response time and sensitive X-ray detector provides an unparalleled opportunity to investigate the previously poorly sampled evolution of novae in the X-ray regime. This paper presents Swift observations of 52 Galactic/Magellanic Cloud novae. We included the XRT (0.3-10 keV) X-ray instrument count rates and the UVOT (1700-8000 Angstroms) filter photometry. Also included in the analysis are the publicly available pointed observations of 10 additional novae the X-ray archives. This is the largest X-ray sample of Galactic/Magellanic Cloud novae yet assembled and consists of 26 novae with super soft X-ray emission, 19 from Swift observations. The data set shows that the faster novae have an early hard X-ray phase that is usually missing in slower novae. The Super Soft X-ray phase occurs earlier and does not last as long in fast novae compared to slower novae. All the Swift novae with sufficient observations show that novae are highly variable with rapid variability and different periodicities. In the majority of cases, nuclear burning ceases less than 3 years after the outburst begins. Previous relationships, such as the nuclear burning duration vs. t_2 or the expansion velocity of the eject and nuclear burning duration vs. the orbital period, are shown to be poorly correlated with the full sample indicating that additional factors beyond the white dwarf mass and binary separation play important roles in the evolution of a nova outburst. Finally, we confirm two optical phenomena that are correlated with strong, soft X-ray emission which can be used to further increase the efficiency of X-ray campaigns.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Supplements. Full data for Table 2 and Figure 17 available in the electronic edition. New version of the previously posted paper since the earlier version was all set in landscape mod

Reframing Kurtz’s Painting: Colonial Legacies and Minority Rights in Ethnically Divided Societies

Minority rights constitute some of the most normatively and economically important human rights. Although the political science and legal literatures have proffered a number of constitutional and institutional design solutions to address the protection of minority rights, these solutions are characterized by a noticeable neglect of, and lack of sensitivity to, historical processes. This Article addresses that gap in the literature by developing a causal argument that explains diverging practices of minority rights protections as functions of colonial governments’ variegated institutional practices with respect to particular ethnic groups. Specifically, this Article argues that in instances where colonial governments politicize and institutionalize ethnic hegemony in the pre-independence period, an institutional legacy is created that leads to lower levels of minority rights protections. Conversely, a uniform treatment and depoliticization of ethnicity prior to independence ultimately minimizes ethnic cleavages post-independence and consequently causes higher levels of minority rights protections. Through a highly structured comparative historical analysis of Botswana and Ghana, this Article builds on a new and exciting research agenda that focuses on the role of long-term historio-structural and institutional influences on human rights performance and makes important empirical contributions by eschewing traditional methodologies that focus on single case studies that are largely descriptive in their analyses. Ultimately, this Article highlights both the strength of a historical approach to understanding current variations in minority rights protections and the varied institutional responses within a specific colonial government

Mapping the Future of Oil and Gas Development in Relation to the Conservation of Greater Sage Grouse

The effects of oil and gas development on the conservation of greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is of concern in the Northeastern portion of their current range that coincides partially with grouse Management Zones I, II, and IV.  Although some research has reported on these effects, much remains uncertain.  This is often the case with ecological studies where cause-effect relationships are complex, multivariate, and involve landscape perspectives.  Gaining an understanding of the effects of the development on grouse requires predicting where that development is expected to occur on a landscape level.  We gathered the “reasonable foreseeable development” spatial data from the USDI’s Bureau of Land Management that were available for Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Northwestern Colorado.  These data were disparate across the study area, and we standardized them across mapping units to establish consistent and quantitative categories.  We describe the GIS processes used to accomplish that and to display the number of wells per township as projected in the BLM data.  The data were then overlain with the priority areas for conservation for greater sage grouse.  Our data, metadata, and data processing (standardization) documentation will be made available on the web via the Landscape Conservation Management and Analysis Portal (LCMAP— https://www. sciencebase.gov/ catalog/?community=LC+MAP+-+Landscape+Conservation+Management +and+Analysis+Portal).  Companion research to model the risk to greater sage grouse from oil and gas development has also begun.  This uses artificial intelligence and Bayesian belief network software to represent knowledge and its uncertainty as presented in the scientific literature, and we present our conceptual model

Pretext Training Algorithms for Event Sequence Data

Pretext training followed by task-specific fine-tuning has been a successful approach in vision and language domains. This paper proposes a self-supervised pretext training framework tailored to event sequence data. We introduce a novel alignment verification task that is specialized to event sequences, building on good practices in masked reconstruction and contrastive learning. Our pretext tasks unlock foundational representations that are generalizable across different down-stream tasks, including next-event prediction for temporal point process models, event sequence classification, and missing event interpolation. Experiments on popular public benchmarks demonstrate the potential of the proposed method across different tasks and data domains