FPGA/GPU-based Acceleration for Frequent Itemsets Mining: A Comprehensive Review

In data mining, Frequent Itemsets Mining is a technique used in several domains with notable results. However, the large volume of data in modern datasets increases the processing time of Frequent Itemset Mining algorithms, making them unsuitable for many real-world applications. Accordingly, proposing new methods for Frequent Itemset Mining to obtain frequent itemsets in a realistic amount of time is still an open problem. A successful alternative is to employ hardware acceleration using Graphics Processing Units (GPU) and Field Programmable Gates Arrays (FPGA). In this article, a comprehensive review of the state of the art of Frequent Itemsets Mining hardware acceleration is presented. Several approaches (FPGA and GPU based) were contrasted to show their weaknesses and strengths. This survey gathers the most relevant and the latest research efforts for improving the performance of Frequent Itemsets Mining regarding algorithms advances and modern development platforms. Furthermore, this survey organizes the current research on Frequent Itemsets Mining from the hardware perspective considering the source of the data, the development platform, and the baseline algorithm.

Antisense Oligonucleotide: A Potential Therapeutic Intervention for Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health issue that places an increasing burden on the healthcare systems of both the developed and developing countries. CKD is a progressive and irreversible condition, affecting approximately 10% of the population worldwide. Patients that have progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) require expensive renal replacement therapy, i.e., dialysis or kidney transplantation. Current CKD therapy largely relies on the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). However, these treatments by no means halt the progression of CKD to ESRD. Therefore, the development of new therapies is urgently needed. Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) has recently attracted considerable interest as a drug development platform. Thus far, eight ASO-based drugs have been granted approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of various diseases. Herein, we review the ASOs developed for the identification of CKD-relevant genes and/or the simultaneous development of the ASOs as potential therapeutics towards treating CKD.

Design and implementation of children’s gesture education games based on AI gesture recognition technology

In order to cultivate children’s imagination and creativity in the cognitive process, combined with the traditional hand shadow game, a children’s gesture education game based on AI gesture recognition technology is designed and developed. The game uses unity development platform, with children’s digital gesture recognition as the content, designs and implements the basic functions involved in the game, including AI gesture recognition function, character animation function, interface interaction function, AR photo taking function and question answering system function. The game is finally released on the mobile terminal. Players can recognize gestures through mobile cameras, interact with virtual cartoon characters in the game, watch cartoon character animation, understand popular science knowledge, and complete the answers in the game. The educational games can better assist children to learn digital gestures, enrich children’s ways of cognition, expand children’s imagination, and let children learn easily with happy educational games.

A Mobile App With Multimodality Prehabilitation Programs for Patients Awaiting Elective Surgery: Development and Usability Study

Background Complying with a prehabilitation program is difficult for patients who will undergo surgery, owing to transportation challenges and a limited intervention time window. Mobile health (mHealth) using smartphone apps has the potential to remove barriers and improve the effectiveness of prehabilitation. Objective This study aimed to develop a mobile app as a tool for facilitating a multidisciplinary prehabilitation protocol involving blood flow restriction training and sport nutrition supplementation. Methods The app was developed using “Appy Pie,” a noncoding app development platform. The development process included three stages: (1) determination of principles and requirements of the app through prehabilitation research team meetings; (2) app prototype design using the Appy Pie platform; and (3) app evaluation by clinicians and exercise and fitness specialists, technical professionals from Appy Pie, and non–team-member users. Results We developed a prototype of the app with the core focus on a multidisciplinary prehabilitation program with accessory features to improve engagement and adherence to the mHealth intervention as well as research-focused features to evaluate the effects of the program on frailty status, health-related quality of life, and anxiety level among patients awaiting elective surgery. Evaluations by research members and random users (n=8) were consistently positive. Conclusions This mobile app has great potential for improving and evaluating the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary prehabilitation intervention in the format of mHealth in future.

Experience in developing a web application for relational databases modeling with a forward engineering function for training students of technical specialties

The article actualizes the need to develop software for modeling relational databases for use in the process of teaching students of technical specialties in disciplines related to databases.The problem is considered from the point of view of assessing modern software used in the process of teaching students database design skills. Based on the shortcomings identified during the software review, a number of requirements for the actual software were determined. Formed key requirements are mobility, accessibility, versatility and openness of the development platform.The article describes the process of solving key problems that arose during the implementation of a project to develop a web application for modeling relational databases in accordance with the generated requirements. The practical implementation of the following functions is sequentially considered: creation of a logical relational data model, creation of a physical data model, direct engineering into relational database software. The main technological solutions used in the development of a web application to ensure the qualities specified in the condition are described.The result of the work is the successful testing of the development results in the process of creating a real web application, both within the framework of laboratory and practical work in the disciplines “Design and administration of databases” and “Data management”, and at the stage of writing graduate works for technical directions of training.

An Infrastructure for Collaborative Ontology Development

Collaborative development of a shared or standardized ontology presents unique issues in workflow, version control, testing, and quality control. These challenges are similar to challenges faced in large-scale collaborative software development. We have taken this idea as the basis of a collaborative ontology development platform based on familiar software tools, including Continuous Integration platforms, version control systems, testing platforms, and review workflows. We have implemented these using open-source versions of each of these tools, and packaged them into a full-service collaborative platform for collaborative ontology development. This platform has been used in the development of FIBO, the Financial Industry Business Ontology, an ongoing collaborative effort that has been developing and maintaining a set of ontologies for over a decade. The platform is open-source and is being used in other projects beyond FIBO. We hope to continue this trend and improve the state of practice of collaborative ontology design in many more industries.

Analytical Studies about the Bioceanic Corridor

The construction of the Bio-Oceanic Road Corridor is an extremely complex task, as it involves many difficulties and multiple actions that need to be implemented in order to integrate Mato Grosso do Sul, in Brazil, with the Northern Chilean ports, crossing huge land spaces in Paraguay and Argentina. Furthermore, the four countries have no intention to create merely a road or a trade corridor. The main objective is to transform the corridor into an economic and social development platform, capable of attracting additional investments, encouraging firm partnerships as well as strengthening territorial integration. By such a collective effort, the countries envisage bringing benefits not only to the private sector but also to local communities. In this context, it is compelling to understand the strengthens and weaknesses of the corridor, in order to guide policymakers on how to implement future actions, with a view to fully exploring all the advantages deriving from physical integration as well as overcoming foreseeable obstacles. This article will enable readers to identify the characteristics of each one of the regions covered by the corridor and, thereby, understand its advantages and disadvantages, but also to learn how the corridor will change their lives. Bio-Oceanic Road Corridor will deepen regional integration and provide trade operators with better and less costly access to Asian markets, to the US West Coast as well as to Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. Thanks to a modern physical connection, exporters from Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina will be able to send abroad their goods in less time and lower costs, increasing competitiveness and adding value to the exported goods. In the same vein, raw materials and other inputs will be imported at lower costs, encouraging the development of industrial clusters as well as breaking up geographical isolations as well as providing an alternative to a logistics too dependent on the Atlantic Ocean.