Perspectives Of Convergence Research Articles

FedAGA: A federated learning framework for enhanced inter-client relationship learning

Exploring relationships is important for effective model aggregation in Personalized Federated Learning (PFL). However, state-of-the-art (SOTA) PFL methods primarily focus on simple model aggregation through inter-client relationships within Euclidean space, overlooking the intricate nature of unstructured relationships. To remedy this, we propose a novel framework named Federated Learning with Adaptive Graph-based Aggregation (FedAGA) tailored for non-Euclidean space. FedAGA captures inter-client relationships through similarities based on accumulated gradients of various client models, constructing a dynamic graph topology. To enhance the reliability and accuracy of graph topology, we introduce two criteria from the perspectives of model convergence and model divergence. Our proposed approach is extensively evaluated on two PFL benchmark datasets and four real medical datasets. The results demonstrate that FedAGA accurately captures inter-client relationships across diverse models, leading to superior performance compared to the SOTA baselines. In particular, we observe notable accuracy improvements of 6.8% on CIFAR10 and 4.0% on PathMNIST compared to the existing methods.

VPPFL: A verifiable privacy-preserving federated learning scheme against poisoning attacks

Federated Learning (FL) allows users to train a global model without sharing original data, enabling data to be available and invisible. However, not all users are benign and malicious users can corrupt the global model by uploading poisonous parameters. Compared with other machine learning schemes, two reasons make it easier for poisoning attacks to succeed in FL: 1) Malicious users can directly poison the parameters, which is more efficient than data poisoning; 2) Privacy preserving techniques, such as homomorphic encryption (HE) or differential privacy (DP), give poisonous parameters a cover, which makes it difficult for the server to detect outliers. To solve such a dilemma, in this paper, we propose VPPFL, a verifiable privacy-preserving federated learning scheme (VPPFL) with DP as the underlying technology. The VPPFL can defend against poisoning attacks and protect users' privacy with small computation and communication cost. Specifically, we design a verification mechanism, which can verify parameters that are perturbed by DP Noise, thus finding out poisonous parameters. In addition, we provide comprehensive analysis from the perspectives of security, convergence and complexity. Extensive experiments show that our scheme maintains the detection capability compared to prior works, but it only needs 15%-30% computation cost and 7%-14% communication cost.

Convergence of 3D Bioprinting and Nanotechnology in Tissue Engineering Scaffolds.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a promising scaffold fabrication strategy for tissue engineering with excellent control over scaffold geometry and microstructure. Nanobiomaterials as bioinks play a key role in manipulating the cellular microenvironment to alter its growth and development. This review first introduces the commonly used nanomaterials in tissue engineering scaffolds, including natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and polymer derivatives, and reveals the improvement of nanomaterials on scaffold performance. Second, the 3D bioprinting technologies of inkjet-based bioprinting, extrusion-based bioprinting, laser-assisted bioprinting, and stereolithography bioprinting are comprehensively itemized, and the advantages and underlying mechanisms are revealed. Then the convergence of 3D bioprinting and nanotechnology applications in tissue engineering scaffolds, such as bone, nerve, blood vessel, tendon, and internal organs, are discussed. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of convergence of 3D bioprinting and nanotechnology are proposed. This review will provide scientific guidance to develop 3D bioprinting tissue engineering scaffolds by nanotechnology.

Eiffel: Efficient and Fair Scheduling in Adaptive Federated Learning

Emerging machine learning (ML) technologies, in combination with the increasing computational power of mobile devices, lead to the extensive adoption of ML-based applications. Different from conventional model training that needs to collect all the user data in centralized cloud servers, federated learning (FL) has recently drawn increasing research attention as it enables privacy-preserving model training. With FL, decentralized edge devices in participation, train their model copies locally over their siloed datasets, and periodically synchronize the model parameters. However, model training is computationally extensive which easily drains the battery of mobile devices. In addition, due to the uneven distribution of siloed datasets, the shared model may become biased. To address the <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">efficiency</i> and <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">fairness</i> concerns in a resource-constrained federated learning setting, in this paper, we propose <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Eiffel</i> to judiciously select mobile devices to participate in the global model aggregation, and adaptively adjust the frequency of local and global model updates. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Eiffel</i> aims to make scheduling and coordination for the federated learning towards both resource efficiency and model fairness. We have conducted theoretical analysis of <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Eiffel</i> from the perspectives of fairness and convergence. Extensive experiments with a wide variety of real-world datasets and models, both on a networked prototype system and in a larger-scale simulated environment, have demonstrated that while maintaining similar accuracy performance, <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Eiffel</i> outperforms existing baselines with respect to reducing communication overhead by up to 6× for higher efficiency and improving the fairness metric by up to 57% compared to the state-of-the-art algorithms.

Carbon neutrality based on vegetation carbon sequestration for China's cities and counties: Trend, inequality and driver

While China pledged to achieve carbon neutrality (CN) by 2060, the regional heterogeneity of CN received a limited attention, causing biased Pareto optimality when facilitating regional CN policy. This study focused on regional heterogeneity of CN based on vegetation carbon sequestration from perspectives of convergence, driver, and inequality across nearly all China's cities and counties during 2000–2017. Eleven city clubs and eighteen county clubs of CN index (CNI) were identified to be convergent in the long run. Decomposition results indicated that economic scale was the largest driver contributing to the increase in CNI, and the driver pattern changed in the post-Kyoto era, where technological level was an increasingly important contributor to improve CN for cities. Inequality analysis showed that Gini coefficients of CNI were declining for cities and counties, where individual between-group and within-group subcomponents nexus diversified, such as inverted U-shaped and linear relationships. The results from this study can facilitate CN-related policies, especially those associated with regional heterogeneity.

A Native SPICE Implementation of Memristor Models for Simulation of Neuromorphic Analog Signal Processing Circuits

Since the memristor emerged as a programmable analog storage device, it has stimulated research on the design of analog/mixed-signal circuits with the memristor as the enabler of in-memory computation. Due to the difficulty in evaluating the circuit-level nonidealities of both memristors and CMOS devices, SPICE-accuracy simulation tools are necessary for perfecting the art of neuromorphic analog/mixed-signal circuit design. This article is dedicated to a native SPICE implementation of the memristor device models published in the open literature and develops case studies of applying such a circuit simulation with MOSFET models to study how device-level imperfections can make adversarial effects on the analog circuits that implement neuromorphic analog signal processing. Methods on memristor stamping in the framework of modified nodal analysis formulation are presented, and implementation results are reported. Furthermore, functional simulations on neuromorphic signal processing circuits including memristors and CMOS devices are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the native SPICE implementation of memristor models from the perspectives of simulation accuracy, efficiency, and convergence for large-scale simulation tasks.

Social development versus economic growth: current contradictions and perspectives of convergence

PurposeThe purpose of the research is to determine the current contradictions and perspectives of convergence of social development and economic growth for the purpose of formation of the scientific and methodological basis of targeted and efficient state regulation of these processes, which would allow for their harmonization and systemic acceleration.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use correlation analysis for calculating the correlation of the rate of economic growth (according to the forecast of the IMF) and the indicators of qualify of life, calculated by Numbeo, and the index of economy digitization, calculated by the IMD. The research is performed based on the 2020 data. On the basis of the established dependencies, the authors use the method of hierarchy analytics of T.L. Saaty for determining the contribution of social development into economic growth.FindingsThe authors substantiate the existence of close interconnection between social development and economic growth and determine substantial differences in this interconnection in developed countries (correlation – 52%), where only purchasing power of population and society's digitization contribute into acceleration of economic growth, and in developing countries (correlation – 48%), where quality of life, environment protection, living standards and society's development level contribute to acceleration of economic growth.Originality/valueIt is proved that in the course of the increase of the level of social development, it contradicts economic growth – due to which the possibilities of state regulation of the interconnection of these processes are limited. The authors develop a conceptual model of convergence of these processes through the prism of phases of the economic cycle. The compiled model reflects the authors' recommendations at each phase of the economic cycle, due to which state regulation of socioeconomic development will become targeted and efficient.

Multiple patent network analysis for identifying safety technology convergence

Purpose Using the large database of patent, the purpose of this paper is to structure a technology convergence network using various patent network analysis for integrating different results according to network characteristics. Design/methodology/approach The patent co-class analysis and the patent citation analysis are applied to discover core safety fields and technology, respectively. In specific, three types of network analysis, which are centrality analysis, association rule mining analysis and brokerage network analysis, are applied to measure the individual, synergy and group intensity. Findings The core safety fields derived from three types of network analysis used by different nature of data algorithms are compared with each other to understand distinctive meaning of cores of patent class such as medical safety, working safety and vehicle safety, differentiating network structure. Also, to be specific, the authors find the detailed technology contained in the core patent class using patent citation network analysis. Practical implications The results provide meaningful implications to various stakeholders in organization: safety management, safety engineering and safety policy. The multiple patent network enables safety manager to identify core safety convergence fields and safety engineers to develop new safety technology. Also, in the view of technology convergence, the strategy of safety policy can be expanded to collaboration and open innovation. Originality/value This is the initial study on applying various network analysis algorithms based on patent data (class and citation) for safety management. Through comparison among network analysis techniques, the different results are identified and the collective decision making on finding core of safety technology convergence is supported. The decision maker can obtain the various perspectives of tracing technology convergence.

간호학생 회복탄력성(Resilience) 연구의 동향- 융합적 관점

본 연구는 간호대학생을 대상으로 시행된 회복탄력성 연구의 동향을 융합적 관점에서 파악하고자 시도되었다. 2010년 1월부터 2017년 12월 까지 국내 학술지에 게재된 87편의 논문을 대상으로 분석을 실시하였다. 그 결과, 회복탄력성 개념은 6가지 용어로 서로 다르게 정의되어 사용되고 있었고, 양적 연구의 비중(99%)이 매우 높았다. 또한 개인과 대학 차원에서 다양한 보호요인, 변화요인, 위험요인이 분류되었다. 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 회복탄력성이 미래의 간호사인 간호대학생들의 전공 적응에 매우 중요한 요인임을 확인할 수 있었으나, 향후 연구 시 명료한 용어 정의와 적절한 측정 도구의 선택이 강조되어야 하며 다양한 설계를 적용한 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

The Current State and Perspectives of Administrative Convergence of Ukraine and EU Member States

The Current State and Perspectives of Administrative Convergence of Ukraine and EU Member States

A Subjectivity Study on the Promotion of Korean Smart TV Industry through Q Methodology

From the perspectives of regulation and convergence, several debates on the industrial definition of smart TV service in the Korean broadcasting and communications market are currently in progress. The most heated controversy mainly depends on whether smart TV is controlled under broadcasting regulations or under communications regulations. This Korean- specific problem is summarized in regulation fairness or asymmetric regulations between smart TV and IPTV operators. Although both operators utilize very similar technology and share the same business model, the regulations for only smart TV operators are unfettered. This would be an intrinsic cause that prohibits fair competition in the new converging market. Currently we confront the matter of asymmetric regulations between smart TV and others including IPTV or ISP. The purpose of this study, thus, is to provide the strategic, regulatory guidance and theoretical definitions on smart TV service, as one of converging services, based on a qualitative approach through subjectivity methodology. The study identifies three issues net neutrality, regulation fairness and new media and new market and proposes desirable promotion plans regarding those issues. The study draws lessons learned through a Korean smart TV case and provides directions to strategic-policy studies for future emergent converging services.

Tendencias del desarrollo regional en el nuevo entorno económico de México. Un análisis por entidades federativas, 1990-2000 / Trends in Regional Development in the Mexico’s New Economic Environment. A State-by-state Analysis, 1990-2000

En este trabajo se indaga si la apertura de la economía mexicana ha producido convergencia del desarrollo regional. Se utilizan las entidades federativas como unidad de observación y se establece su grado de desarrollo considerando los valores medios y la distribución de escolaridad, salud e ingreso per cápita.Un hallazgo del trabajo es que cuanto más alto es el valor medio de las variables, más igualitariamente tienden a distribuirse. El otro hallazgo es que no se observa convergencia. El trabajo concluye con una breve discusión de los factores que pueden influir en las perspectivas de la convergencia. AbstractThis article analyzes whether the liberalization of the Mexican economy has produced a convergence of regional development. The states are used as units of observation and their degree of development is determined on the basis of the mean values and distribution of schooling, health and per capita income.One of the study’s findings is that the higher the mean value of the variables, the more equally they tend to be distributed. The other finding is that no convergence is observed. The study concludes with a brief discussion of the factors that may influence the perspectives of convergence.

Attitudes towards different sources of executive appraisal: a comparison of Hong Kong Chinese and American managers in Hong Kong

This study examines the attitudes of three groups of managers in Hong Kong, namely, Hong Kong Chinese managers in local Chinese firms (HK/HK), Hong Kong Chinese managers in US firms (HK/US) and American managers in US firms (US/US), towards supervisory, peer, subordinate and multi-source appraisal of executive performance. The more recent perspective of crossvergence, within the convergence-divergence debate, provides the theoretical foundation for formulating the hypotheses. The findings indicate support for this new perspective of crossvergence. There is also evidence of the coexistence of all the three perspectives of convergence, divergence and crossvergence. The study found that the practice of supervisory appraisal is supported more by HK/US and US/US managers than by HK/HK managers. Furthermore, both HK/US and US/US managers are more supportive of subordinate evaluation than peer evaluation. Overall, the findings indicate that the traditional Chinese values may be more congruent with the notion of supervisory appraisal than with peer and subordinate evaluation. The study thus points out the importance of the compatibility of norms and beliefs regarding a management practice such as performance appraisal with the local national cultures in determining the acceptance and hence the transferability of that practice across countries.

Attitudes towards different sources of executive appraisal: a comparison of Hong Kong Chinese and American managers in Hong Kong

This study examines the attitudes of three groups of managers in Hong Kong, namely, Hong Kong Chinese managers in local Chinese firms (HK/HK), Hong Kong Chinese managers in US firms (HK/US) and American managers in US firms (US/US), towards supervisory, peer, subordinate and multi-source appraisal of executive performance. The more recent perspective of crossvergence, within the convergence-divergence debate, provides the theoretical foundation for formulating the hypotheses. The findings indicate support for this new perspective of crossvergence. There is also evidence of the coexistence of all the three perspectives of convergence, divergence and crossvergence. The study found that the practice of supervisory appraisal is supported more by HK/US and US/US managers than by HK/HK managers. Furthermore, both HK/US and US/US managers are more supportive of subordinate evaluation than peer evaluation. Overall, the findings indicate that the traditional Chinese values may be more congruent with the notion of supervisory appraisal than with peer and subordinate evaluation. The study thus points out the importance of the compatibility of norms and beliefs regarding a management practice such as performance appraisal with the local national cultures in determining the acceptance and hence the transferability of that practice across countries.