This thesis describes the implementation of automatic shot boundary detection algorithms for the detection of cuts and gradual transitions in digital video sequences. The objective was to develop a fully automatic video segmentation system as a pre-processing step for video database retrieval management systems as well as other applications which has large video sequences as part of their systems. For die detection of cuts, we begin by looking at a set of baseline algorithms that look into measuring specific features of video images and calculating the dissimilarity of the measures between frames in the video sequence. We then propose two different approaches and compare them against the set of baseline algorithms. These approaches are themselves built upon the base set of algorithms. Observing that the baseline algorithms initially use hard thresholds to determine shot boundaries, we build Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to plot the characteristics of the algorithms when varying the thresholds. In the first approach, we look into combining the multiple algorithms in such a way that as a collective, the detection of cuts are improved. The results of the fusion are then compared against the baseline algorithms on the ROC curve. For the second approach, we look into having adaptive thresholds for the baseline algorithms. A selection of adaptive thresholding methods were applied to the data set and compared with the baseline algorithms that are using hard thresholds. In the case of gradual transition detection, an application of a filtering technique used to detect ramp edges in images is adapted for use in video sequences. The approach is taken by starting with the observation that shot boundaries represent edges in time, with cuts being sharp edges and gradual transitions closely approximating ramp edges. The methods that we propose reflect our concentration on producing a reliable and efficient shot boundary detection mechanism. In each instance, be it for cuts or gradual transitions, we tested our algorithms on a comprehensive set of video sequences, containing a variety of content and obtained highly competitive results.

No description available.

To support current and emerging database applications, Object-Relational Database Management Systems (ORDBMS) provide mechanisms to extend the data storage capabilities and the functionality of the database with application-specific types and methods. Using these mechanisms, the database may contain user-defined data types, large objects (LOBs), external procedures, extensible indexing, query optimisation techniques and other features that are treated in the same way as built-in database features . The many extensibility options provided by the ORDBMS, however, raise several implementation challenges that are not always obvious. This thesis examines a few of the key challenges that arise when extending Oracle database with new functionality. To realise the potential of extensibility in Oracle, the thesis used the problem area of image retrieval as the main test domain. Current research efforts in image retrieval are lagging behind the required retrieval, but are continuously improving. As better retrieval techniques become available, it is important that they are integrated into the available database systems to facilitate improved retrieval. The thesis also reports on the practical experiences gained from integrating an extensible indexing scenario. Sample scenarios are integrated in Oracle9i database using the data cartridge mechanism, which allows Oracle database functionality to be extended with new functional components. The integration demonstrates how additional functionality may be effectively applied to both general and specialised domains in the database. It also reveals alternative design options that allow data cartridge developers, most of who are not database server experts, to extend the database. The thesis is concluded with some of the key observations and options that designers must consider when extending the database with new functionality. The main challenges for developers are the learning curve required to understand the data cartridge framework and the ability to adapt already developed code within the constraints of the data cartridge using the provided extensibility APls. Maximum reusability relies on making good choices for the basic functions, out of which specialised functions can be built. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

A database schema should consist of structures and semantic integrity constraints. Se mantic integrity constraints (SICs) are invariant restrictions on the static states of the stored data and the state transitions caused by the primitive operations: insertion, dele tion, or update. Traditionally, database design has been carried out on an ad hoc basis and focuses on structure and efficiency. Although the E-R model is the popular concep tual modelling tool, it contains few inherent SICs. Also, although the relational database model is the popular logical data model, a relational database in fourth or fifth normal form may still represent little of the data semantics. Most integrity checking is distributed to the application programs or transactions. This approach to enforcing integrity via the application software causes a number of problems. Recently, a number of systems have been developed for assisting the database design process. However, only a few of those systems try to help a database designer incorporate SICs in a database schema. Furthermore, current SIC representation languages in the literature cannot be used to represent precisely the necessary features for specifying declarative and operational semantics of a SIC, and no modelling tool is available to incorporate SICs. This research solves the above problems by presenting two models and one subsystem. The E-R-SIC model is a comprehensive modelling tool for helping a database designer in corporate SICs in a database schema. It is application domain-independent and suitable for implementation as part of an automated database design system. The SIC Repre sentation model is used to represent precisely these SICs. The SIC elicitation subsystem would verify these general SICs to a certain extent, decompose them into sub-SICs if necessary, and transform them into corresponding ones in the relational model. A database designer using these two modelling tools can describe more data semantics than with the widely used relational model. The proposed SIC elicitation subsystem can provide more modelling assistance for him (her) than current automated database design systems. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Hitherto, most relational database design methods are based on functional dependencies (FDs) and multivalued dependencies (MVDs). Full mappings are proposed as an alternative to FDs and MVDs. A mapping between any two sets, apart from being one-one, many-one, or many-many, is either total or partial on the source and target sets. An 'into' mapping on a set, expresses the fact that an element in the set may not be involved in the mapping. An 'onto' mapping on a set is total on the set. A many-many (into,onto) mapping from set A to set B is written as A[sup=i] m----n B[sup=o]. The mappings incorporate more semantic information into data dependency specification. It is shown, informally, that the full mappings are more expressive than FDs and MVDs. Transformation rules, to generate Boyce-Codd normal form and projection-join normal form schemas from the full mappings, are defined. The full mapping/transformation rules provide a discipline for modeling nonfunctional relationships, within a synthetic approach. / Science, Faculty of / Computer Science, Department of / Graduate

No abstract available / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Mercantile Law / unrestricted

The use of databases has become an integral part of modern human life. Often the data contained within databases has substantial value to enterprises and individuals. As databases become a greater part of people’s daily lives, it becomes increasingly interlinked with human behaviour. Negative aspects of this behaviour might include criminal activity, negligence and malicious intent. In these scenarios a forensic investigation is required to collect evidence to determine what happened on a crime scene and who is responsible for the crime. A large amount of the research that is available focuses on digital forensics, database security and databases in general but little research exists on database forensics as such. It is difficult for a forensic investigator to conduct an investigation on a DBMS due to limited information on the subject and an absence of a standard approach to follow during a forensic investigation. Investigators therefore have to reference disparate sources of information on the topic of database forensics in order to compile a self-invented approach to investigating a database. A subsequent effect of this lack of research is that compromised DBMSs (DBMSs that have been attacked and so behave abnormally) are not considered or understood in the database forensics field. The concept of compromised DBMSs was illustrated in an article by Olivier who suggested that the ANSI/SPARC model can be used to assist in a forensic investigation on a compromised DBMS. Based on the ANSI/SPARC model, the DBMS was divided into four layers known as the data model, data dictionary, application schema and application data. The extensional nature of the first three layers can influence the application data layer and ultimately manipulate the results produced on the application data layer. Thus, it becomes problematic to conduct a forensic investigation on a DBMS if the integrity of the extensional layers is in question and hence the results on the application data layer cannot be trusted. In order to recover the integrity of a layer of the DBMS a clean layer (newly installed layer) could be used but clean layers are not easy or always possible to configure on a DBMS depending on the forensic scenario. Therefore a combination of clean and existing layers can be used to do a forensic investigation on a DBMS. PROBLEM STATEMENT The problem to be addressed is how to construct the appropriate combination of clean and existing layers for a forensic investigation on a compromised DBMS, and ensure the integrity of the forensic results. APPROACH The study divides the relational DBMS into four abstract layers, illustrates how the layers can be prepared to be either in a found or clean forensic state, and experimentally combines the prepared layers of the DBMS according to the forensic scenario. The study commences with background on the subjects of databases, digital forensics and database forensics respectively to give the reader an overview of the literature that already exists in these relevant fields. The study then discusses the four abstract layers of the DBMS and explains how the layers could influence one another. The clean and found environments are introduced due to the fact that the DBMS is different to technologies where digital forensics has already been researched. The study then discusses each of the extensional abstract layers individually, and how and why an abstract layer can be converted to a clean or found state. A discussion of each extensional layer is required to understand how unique each layer of the DBMS is and how these layers could be combined in a way that enables a forensic investigator to conduct a forensic investigation on a compromised DBMS. It is illustrated that each layer is unique and could be corrupted in various ways. Therefore, each layer must be studied individually in a forensic context before all four layers are considered collectively. A forensic study is conducted on each abstract layer of the DBMS that has the potential to influence other layers to deliver incorrect results. Ultimately, the DBMS will be used as a forensic tool to extract evidence from its own encrypted data and data structures. Therefore, the last chapter shall illustrate how a forensic investigator can prepare a trustworthy forensic environment where a forensic investigation could be conducted on an entire PostgreSQL DBMS by constructing a combination of the appropriate forensic states of the abstract layers. RESULTS The result of this study yields an empirically demonstrated approach on how to deal with a compromised DBMS during a forensic investigation by making use of a combination of various states of abstract layers in the DBMS. Approaches are suggested on how to deal with a forensic query on the data model, data dictionary and application schema layer of the DBMS. A forensic process is suggested on how to prepare the DBMS to extract evidence from the DBMS. Another function of this study is that it advises forensic investigators to consider alternative possibilities on how the DBMS could be attacked. These alternatives might not have been considered during investigations on DBMSs to date. Our methods have been tested at hand of a practical example and have delivered promising results. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

<div><div><div><p>Advances in real-world applications require high-throughput processing over large data streams. Micro-batching is a promising computational model to support the needs of these applications. In micro-batching, the processing and batching of the data are interleaved, where the incoming data tuples are first buffered as data blocks, and then are processed collectively using parallel function constructs (e.g., Map-Reduce). The size of a micro-batch is set to guarantee a certain response-time latency that is to conform to the application’s service-level agreement. Compared to native tuple-at-a-time data stream processing, micro- batching can sustain higher data rates. However, existing micro-batch stream processing systems lack Load-awareness optimizations that are necessary to maintain performance and enhance resource utilization. In this thesis, we investigate the micro-batching paradigm and pinpoint some of its design principles that can benefit from further optimization. A new data partitioning scheme termed Prompt is presented that leverages the characteristics of the micro-batch processing model. Prompt enables a balanced input to the batching and processing cycles of the micro-batching model. Prompt achieves higher throughput process- ing with an increase in resource utilization. Moreover, Prompt+ is proposed to enforce la- tency by elastically adapting resource consumption according to workload changes. More specifically, Prompt+ employs a scheduling strategy that supports elasticity in response to workload changes while avoiding rescheduling bottlenecks. Moreover, we envision the use of deep reinforcement learning to efficiently partition data in distributed streaming systems. PartLy demonstrates the use of artificial neural networks to facilitate the learning of efficient partitioning policies that match the dynamic nature of streaming workloads. Finally, all the proposed techniques are abstracted and generalized over three widely used stream process- ing engines. Experimental results using real and synthetic data sets demonstrate that the proposed techniques are robust against fluctuations in data distribution and arrival rates. Furthermore, it achieves up to 5x improvement in system throughput over state-of-the-art techniques without degradation in latency.</p></div></div></div>

Submitted to the faculty of the informatics Graduate Program in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Bioinformatics in the School of Informatics, Indiana University, May 2006 / The publication of the draft human genome consisting of 30,000 genes is merely the beginning of genome biology. A new way to understand the complexity and richness of molecular and cellular function of proteins in biological processes is through understanding of biological networks. These networks include protein-protein interaction networks, gene regulatory networks, and metabolic networks. In this thesis, we focus on human protein-protein interaction networks using informatics techniques. First, we performed a thorough literature survey to document different experimental methods to detect and collect protein interactions, current public databases that store these interactions, computational software to predict, validate and interpret protein networks. Then, we developed the Human Annotated Protein-Protein Interaction (HAPPI) database to manage a wealth of integrated information related to protein functions, protein-protein functional links, and protein-protein interactions. Approximately 12900 proteins from Swissprot, 57900 proteins from Trembl, 52186 protein-domains from Swisspfam, 4084 gene-pathways from KEGG, 2403190 interactions from STRING and 51207 interactions from OPHID public databases were integrated into a single relational database platform using Oracle 10g on an IU Supercomputing grid. We further assigned a confidence score to each protein interaction pair to help assess the quality and reliability of protein-protein interaction. We hosted the database on the Discovery Informatics and Computing web site, which is now publicly accessible. HAPPI database differs from other protein interaction databases in these following aspects: 1) It focuses on human protein interactions and contains approximately 860000 high-confidence protein interaction records—one of the most complete and reliable sources of human protein interaction today; 2) It includes thorough protein domain, gene and pathway information of interacting proteins, therefore providing a whole view of protein functional information; 3) It contains a consistent ranking score that can be used to gauge the confidence of protein interactions. To show the benefits of HAPPI database, we performed a case study using Insulin Signaling pathway in collaboration with a biology team on campus. We began by taking two sets of proteins that were previously well studied as separate processes, set A and set B. We queried these proteins against the HAPPI database, and derived high-confidence protein interaction data sets annotated with known KEGG pathways. We then organized these protein interactions on a network diagram. The end result shows many novel hub proteins that connect set A or B proteins. Some hub proteins are even novel members outside of any annotated pathway, making them interesting targets to validate for subsequent biological studies.

Synchronization of data across an integrated system of heterogeneous databases is a difficult but important task, especially in the context of integrating health care information throughout a region, state, or nation. This thesis describes the design and implementation of a data replication and synchronization tool, called the Sync Engine, which allows users to define custom data-sharing patterns and transformations for an integrated system of heterogeneous person-centric databases. This thesis also discusses the relationship between the Sync Engine's contributions and several relevant issues in the area of data integration and replication. The Sync Engine's design and implementation was validated by adapting it to CHARM, a real world integrated system currently in use at the Utah Department of Health.